The Lost Girl
by Yuzuru's-Angel
Summary: Set a while after Clannad, when Ushio is now 16, and is a junior. Tokoi Konoda transfers to a new school, and finds himself meeting all sorts of odd people. Something about Ushio interests him, so he becomes her friend..and then more. UshioxOC Konoda
1. Part One: Tears and Happiness

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hey everyone! This is the marker for Part One of this two-part story. Each part will have ten chapters each. So, I hope you enjoy this wonderful story! :)**

**Part One: Tears and Happiness_ **

**Tokoi meets Ushio, and many other interesting friends. This marks the beginning of a beautiful story between two high schoolers who must experience Tears and grief before they can discover Happiness.**


	2. Transferring

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: This is my second anime Fanfic, and my first Clannad Fanfic. This is basically an after-story of the Clannad After-Story(Lolwut?)...When Ushio is 16, and is now in her second Junior year(Due to sickness.)...Tokoi Konoda meets her, and, well, find out for yourself. XD There will be about 20-25 chapters in this, so keep up, and enjoy! **

**Also: This isn't much of a chapter, more of like, an introduction, since it's sweet n' simple. :p**

**Chapter One**

**Transferring**

"Konoda! Over here!" a voice calls out. Turning around, I see my child-hood friend, Yurino, trudging up to me, with an overly-large backpack on his back.

"Oh...Hey Yurino." I say, looking from him to the large backpack. "Did you bring an elephant with you?" I ask, and he shakes his head. "No, it's even better!" he exclaims. I sigh. _I was just joking._

He pulls off his backpack after a few moments of struggling, then, he opens it up, and, to my surprise, a sudden burst of confetti comes out of it. I look at him for a few moments, trying to figure out if that was a practical joke, or if it's just part of an idiotic plan of his.

"Uh..." I begin to say, and he grins at me. "Well?" he says. "What exactly is it all for?" I ask, and he sighs. "Isn't it obvious? This is going to be an awesome prank to pull at the Freshman assembly." he states with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Won't this get you in big trouble?" I say, and he shakes his head. "There's no way for them to find out who did it!" he tells me triumphantly, "It's the perfect plan!"

I sigh, setting my palm onto my face. _What an idiot... _I think. "Come on," he says, closing his backpack, putting it over his shoulders, and grabbing my arm. "Let's go!"

* * *

Somehow, I find myself at the top of the school assembly hall, barely keeping my balance on the railing. Yurino is happily setting up his confetti traps, while I struggle just to keep from falling.

"Are you _sure _this is a good idea?" I think, holding onto the railing for dear life. "Of course it is!" he exclaims. He puts on the last of his traps, then cautiously stands up and wipes his forehead.

"Phew, I can't wait to see everybody's faces when this happens!" he says with a grin. Yurino then turns and asks, "What about you, Konoda?"

I shake my head. "I don't know, all I care about is getting down from here..." I tell him, and he laughs. "You're such a wimp, Konoda!" he says, taking a step back, "If anything were to happen, it would have happened by no-" he stops as he suddenly begins to lose his balance.

"Yurino!" I shout, cautiously standing up and making my way towards him. He begins to sway for a few moments, waving his hands around to keep his balance. After a few moments, he stops, keeping still on the railing.

I let out a sigh of relief, and he simply laughs. "See? Nothing will happen." he says, waving his hands around in the air mockingly, then laughing again.

Suddenly, the school bell rings, and Yurino jumps slightly, pushing him off balance. He sways to the left, and I quickly jump out to try and stop him.

He twists around and begins to fall, reaching his arm out for me. I quickly get on my stomach and reach out for his hand, feeling his fingers graze across mine...

...Then I watch, as he falls, his eyes looking up at me in a terrified manner. I look to the side, and I hear a _thud _as his body hits the hard ground below...

* * *

"We do not tolerate such outrageous behavior at this school!" I hear a booming voice say from the principle's office, "What good as this prank done? None! It left another student with serious injuries! I believe that this school..." His voice trails off as I quickly stand and begin to walk away.

_It's not my fault, _I think in irritation, punching the wall. _That idiot...Yurino..._ I feel tears begin to swell up in my eyes, and, from behind, I hear a door closing.

Turning around, I see my father walking towards me. He stops beside me, and rests his hand on my shoulder. "Let's go..." he says, walking away. I look after him for a few moments, before wiping my tears away with my hand, and following him out the door.

Once we are outside, my father suddenly turns to me and grabs me by my collar. "_What _were you thinking? I thought I raised you better!" he shouts at me, throwing me down to the ground. I simply glare up at my father, who's anger is apparent on his face.

"Would your mother want this to happen, if she was still here?" he yells, and I quickly stand, angered. "Don't bring her into this!" I shout at my father, who takes a step back, surprised that I was yelling back at him.

"I-,I don't want you to _ever _step foot in _my _house ever again!" he shouts, and I can't help but flinching at the harshness in his voice, "I'm transferring you to a school far away, so I won't ever have to see your face ever again!"

"Good riddance then..." I mutter as my father turns and starts to storm away. I shake my head. _There's no way he would kick me out like that... _I think, _It's just his alcohol acting up on him again..._

_Isn't it?_

* * *

Merely a month later, I found myself at the gates of a new school, in a town about a hundred miles away where my grandparents lived. Looking up at the school, I could tell that it was close to brand-new. _This must have been built not too long ago... _I think as I walk onto the school grounds.

I stop after merely a few steps, looking down at the paper in my hands. Then, I walk up the front steps, and I open the doors. As soon as I walk inside, I sigh. _This definitely isn't like my old school.. _I think.

Looking around, I spot a door that appears to be the one that the paper had described. _I guess this is the counselor's office... _I think, walking up to it and knocking. "Come on in!" I hear a woman's voice say, and I open the door and walk inside.

"Ah, you must be Konoda." the counselor says, turning in her chair towards me. I nod, and I walk forward to hand her my papers. She takes them and examines them for a few moments. "I hope you aren't planning a stunt like that here at this school, are you?" she asks.

I shake my head, and I gulp. _Never, _I think, _Plus, that was Yurino's idea in the first place... _The counselor begins to nod, then puts my papers on her desks and marks them. "Alright, you're going to go to your homeroom, which is class 2-B." she tells me, and I give a slight bow of thanks before leaving the room.

After getting lost and wandering around for a while, I finally find my homeroom. I begin to feel nervous as I stand outside the door. _I forgot how it feels to stand in front of a class and have to greet yourself... _I think.

I hesitently slide open the door. The teacher stopped in mid-sentence and turned to me. "Ah, this must be our new student." he proclaims, walking up to me and leading me inside of the classroom. My nervousness fades slightly as I step out in front of the class. _I guess it's not too bad... _

"My name is Tokoi Konoda," I say, giving a slight bow, "I'm looking forward to being in class with you all." For a few moments, there is silence, and I gulp. _Tough crowd..._

Finally, a few voices begin to sprout and talk to one another. I breath a sigh of relief. _That silence is always disturbing, _I think. "Alright, Tokoi, you can have the seat over in the back there, behind Risha." he tells me, pointing to the back corner where an empty seat was waiting for me.

I quickly make my way to my seat, trying to avoid the eye contact of the other students. When I sit, the girl in front of me turns her head slightly and examines me with her icy-blue eyes. "Hm, alright..." she says simply, turning back around. I tilt my head slightly. _What was that about?_

It wasn't long before the bell chimed, and everybody got up to move on to their next class. When I stand, I begin to make my way to the door, when the girl steps out in front of me, looking up at me and seemingly examining me. "Uh..." I say, and she shakes her head.

"You look like that fugitive-type." she tells me, pointing up at me. "Uh...Not really." I tell her, and she crosses her arms. "Your name was...Risha, right?" I say, and she nods. "Your name is Tokoi, correct?" she says, and I nod. She extends her hand, and I shake it slightly.

However, she suddenly lifts up her arm, and I feel myself lift off the ground. Looking up, I find myself greeted by the hard ceiling. I fall back down, hitting the ground hard. "Ouch..." I say, rubbing my head and my back, not sure which one hurt more.

Looking up, the girl is seemingly towering above me, glaring down at me. She points down at me, and exclaims, "My name is Risha Toshino, and I don't take kindly to the fugitive-type." I look up at her in disbelief. _Interesting way to greet a new student... _I think as she turns heel and walks out of the classroom.

As I slowly stand up, I sigh. _I can tell this will be a handful already... _I think, making my way to the door. When I reach it, it suddenly slides open, and a girl quickly runs into me, causing us both to fall back. I stand up, angered, and I begin to shout at her, "Hey! Watch where you're-"

But when I look down at her, the innocent look on her face stops me. With a sigh, I walk over to her and I offer her a hand. She looks up, examining it for a few moments, before taking it and standing. "I-I'm sorry..." she tells me, giving me a slight bow.

"It's alright, I guess." I try to reassure her, although I feel my body aching all over. She looks down at the floor shyly, and we stand there for a few moments. "Uh...I'll just...Go to my next class then." I say, starting to walk away. She simply nods, and makes her way into the classroom.

"My name is Tokoi Konoda, by the way." I decide to say, and she turns to look at me. "M-My name is Okazaki Ushio..." she says shyly, and I nod. "Ushio..." I say to familiarize myself with the name, before walking away. I can feel her eyes still peering at me was I walk.

Ushio's image stays in my head for a while after we ran into each other. That night, I find myself thinking, _She seems really shy, yet...She's so beautiful..._

_Maybe I can change her..._

**To Be Continued****...**

**Next Chapter:**** Encounter**

**Did you like it? I hope so, xD This Fanfic will turn out to be slightly like the original series, although presented in a different way, so you'll see some things in which I incorporated the original story into this one. So, keep an eye out for upcoming chapters! :D**


	3. Encounters

**Clannad  
****The Lost Girl**

**Note: Kind of short, since I did regular paragraphs (I usually do line-by-line paragraphs. :I)**

**Chapter Two**

**Encounters**

The night passed by quick, and I found myself walking off to school once more, my backpack heavy with some of the books I had been given the day before. It definitely wasn't helping with my aching back. _That damned Risha... _I think with a sigh.

I hear a buzzing noise from behind, and I turn to see something coming at me on the sidewalk at a high speed. "Look out!" someone yells, and, before I can move out of the way, I find myself being toppled over by a scooter, and a girl falls over on top of me.

"O-Ouch..." I mutter, moving my head to the side to get some air. From the corner of my eye, I can see the girl's purple-colored hair hanging down as she lifts her head and says, "Ow..." Suddenly, she moves back and stands up. "H-Hey, watch where you're going next time!" she shouts at me.

As I stand and brush my uniform off, I tell her, "Wait, wasn't I the victim here?" After a few moments of silence, I see her blush as she turns her head away. "Well, you shouldn't be..." she begins to say, before trailing off. "...I shouldn't be walking on the sidewalk?" I finish for her, and she turns and glares at me, still blushing heavily.

"I-I..." she starts to say, before turning around, picking up her scooter, and starting it up. I sigh as I move out of the way and watch her ride off. _What was that about? _I think as I rest for a few moments before walking again. After a short walk, I arrived at the gates of the school, and I simply stood there, watching the students walking and talking amongst each other.

After looking around for a few moments, I notice a familiar girl standing beneath one of the large trees in front of the school. _Ushio? _I think, looking at the girl, who was simply looking down at the ground, seemingly unmoving. I finally decide to go through the gates and walk up to her.

"Hey." I say, but she doesn't look up. "I wish you didn't have to go..." she mumbles, still looking down at the ground, "Irisa-chan..." I stand there for a few moments, trying to figure out if she was talking to herself or not. "Um..." I begin to say, and she looks up at me suddenly, as if just noticing I was there.

"O-Oh...Tokoi." she says, pausing to think of what my name was. I try to give her a warm smile, but she turns her head, a slight blush appearing on her face. I sigh. _Definitely shy, _I think. "So...What were you talking about just now?" I decide to ask, and she tilts her head in confusion. "Somebody by the name of...Irisa?"

Ushio's blush becomes even more apparent on her face, and she stumbles with her words as she explains, "Irisa-chan was my friend in my first junior year..." I nod. "Wait, your _first _junior year?" I say, confused, and she gives a small nod. "I-I got sick and was gone for a long period of time..." she tells me, "So I watched as my friends moved on, and forgot about me..."

I can see a wave of sadness seem to envelop her. _That is a pretty sad thing to happen..._ I think. "Well, hey, how about this?" I say, taking a step towards Ushio and extending my hand, making sure to give a warm smile along with it. "Let's be friends."

Ushio looks down at my hand for a few moments, before a small smile appears on her face. She shakes my hand and looks up at me, "Thank you, Tokoi-san." she says, and I can't help myself from smiling a little more. As we put our hands down, we find ourselves in a sort of awkward silence.

Suddenly, I hear a bell chime. "Oh, we should get to our class." I say, and Ushio nods. We talk together into the school, but find ourselves splitting up in the hall when we get to the classroom 2-D. Before she walks in, she gives me a small smile and says, "Thank you, Tokoi-kun."

* * *

After making my way to my first class, the day seemed like it was going to go by quick. The lessons were fairly easy, since I had studied most of it at my other school. When lunch came, I decided that I'd go onto the rooftop to each lunch, since I had been doing that ever since junior high-school.

Once on the rooftop, I began to eat, having sudden memories about Yurino and I back throughout the long time we had known each other. _I haven't heard anything about him since I moved here... _I think, _Hopefully he's able to recover..._

While lost in my thoughts, I see a lone figure down below walk out of the school building and go to the large tree, sitting down beside it. Squinting my eyes in the sunlight, I can make out the figure of Ushio, who had taken out a circular loaf of bread and was starting to take small bites out of it.

_I guess she eats alone like this every day... _I think, taking another bite of my rice. After a few moments of thinking, I decide to make my way downstairs and out the front doors to join Ushio. She doesn't appear to notice me, until I sit down nearby.

"Oh, h-hi Tokoi-kun." she says, and I give an acknowledging nod to her. For a few moments, we are eating in silence. "What is that?" I decide to ask, pointing at the bread in her hands. She takes another bite out of it before telling me, "Sweet bean bread..." I nod, and we continue to eat in a sort of awkward silence. I sigh. _I'm not really sure what to say..._

"My grandmother made it." Ushio says suddenly, and I look up at her. "Oh, is your grandmother a baker?" I ask, and she nods. "She owns a bakery not too far from the school..." Ushio tells me. "Although my father and grandfather don't particularly like her bread..." she begins to say, taking another bite out of it, then smiling, "I love it."

I smile. _Her smile is contagious, _I think, taking a last bite of rice from my bento. I stand up, just in time to hear the bell chime. "Well, I'd like to go there sometime." I say, giving a slight stretch. I hear Ushio take a sip out of her juice box, before she stands and gives a slight bow towards me.

"T-Thank you for keeping me company..." she tells me shyly. "Any time." I tell her, giving her as warm a smile as I could put on. We began to walk into the school together, once again parting ways when we reach her classroom. I say goodbye to her, and begin to walk away.

I take a last look back, and I see Ushio standing there at the door, simply staring at it. "What's wrong?" I ask her, and she turns her head and looks at me. "N-Nothing..." she tells me, before sliding the door open and walking inside.

I sigh, and I begin to walk to my classroom. _Maybe this school isn't so bad... _I begin to think, when, suddenly, I find myself being propelled forward by a powerful kick from behind. Staggering, then recovering and turning around, I see none other than Risha standing there, glaring at me.

"Did you do something to that girl out there?" she asks, and I tilt my head in confusion. "Uh..I don't believe I did." I tell her, but she doesn't look convinced. She walks up to me and grabs me by my collar, glaring up at me for a few moments. "I'll be watching you, Tokoi." she mutters, before letting go of me and walking into the classroom.

I watch as she walks away. _What's her problem? _I think, becoming slightly irritated. A sudden flash of memory comes into my head...of the day my father and I had had our last argument. I see his face glaring down at me, grabbing me by the collar. I shake my head. "I'll never forgive him..." I mutter under my breath, before making my way into the classroom.

The rest of the day went by fast, and I decided to avoid Risha at all costs. The last bell finally chimed, and I began to make my way to the front. I give a sigh of relief. _Thank god this day is over... _I think as I walk out of the building.

_At least there's one sane person here... _I think, an image of Ushio appearing in my head. I look up, and I see her standing over at the gate. _Is she...Waiting for me? _I wonder as I make my way towards her.

When she notices me walking up to her, she smiles.

**To Be Continued****...**

**Next Chapter:**** Bread**

**So, was that good for a second chapter? Let me know what you think with a review, and stay tuned for more! :D Also, just a heads up, there are some small, less obvious things that I included in this story(And will continue to include) that are small indications of similarities between the anime and my story. Such as, Nagisa was actually in class 3-B, while Tomoya was in class 3-D. (Whereas they are switched in here. ^^) Just some small things like that, if anybody actually cares besides me. xD**


	4. Bread

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Chapter Three**

**Bread**

"Tokoi-san." Ushio says, giving a slight bow to me as I approach her. "Why were you waiting for me, Ushio?" I ask, and she blushes slightly. "I-I wanted to know if you would come over..." she says. I simply look at her for a few moments. _I only meant to suggest it... _I think with a sigh.

The look on Ushio's face changes into a sad-looking one. "I-I'm sorry for asking..." she says, but I shake my head and I give her a smile. "No, that's alright. I'd like to come over." I tell her, and her face lights up once again. "R-Really?" she asks, and I nod.

Giving me her warm smile, we leave the school, Ushio leading the way out of the gates and along the sidewalk.

* * *

It didn't take long before we arrived at a bakery, with a sign hanging off of it that says, "Furukawa" _Furukawa? _I think. "Hey, what does your sign mean?" I ask, and Ushio looks up at it. "Oh, that's my grandparents' last name." she explains, walking into the bakery. "I'm home." she says, but there is no response.

Stepping inside, it appears that the bakery is closed, since the bread trays were covered and it didn't appear that anybody was in here. Lifting up one of the covers, I take some bread off the tray labeled, "Rice Cracker Bread". After examining it for a few moments, I decide to take a bite out of it.

_Crunch! _As I take a bite out of it, I'm surprised to find that there actually was a rice cracker inside of the bread. Ushio hears it and turns to me. "How is it? Is it good?" she asks. I look over at her, continuing to chew. _This is...Hard to eat. _I think, struggling to swallow my first bite.

"It's...Different." I say, hesitently taking another bite out of it. Ushio tilts her head at me, unsure if I like it or not. _I'm not sure myself, _I think, continuing to eat it. After the first few bites, I find myself unable to eat anymore of it. "Can...I be honest with you?" I say, and Ushio nods.

Turning to her, I state, "It's not good." She frowns slightly, then takes a step to the side and looks behind me. Turning around, I see a woman standing at the entrance. _Ushio's...Mom, maybe? _I think. "Grandmother..." Ushio says, and I look at the woman in disbelief. _Grandmother? _I think.

"Y-You don't like it?" the woman says, a sad look on her face. "Well, it's...An interesting idea, but it's just..." I begin to say, trailing off slightly. "It's just not good enough..." I finish, and I feel a pang of guilt as her grandmother starts to sob. "So...My bread..." she begins to say, then, suddenly, she runs out of the bakery, "Isn't good enough!"

"Hey, Hey!" I hear a deep voice come from outside. Suddenly, a man walks in, who also slightly resembles Ushio. "You!" he says, pointing at me and giving me a glare. "You should have just ate it, and told her it was good!" he states, walking up to me.

"I-I'm sorry..." I begin to say, and the man suddenly grips me in a headlock and tells me, "Sanae has a fragile heart, so it's easy to break. That's why everybody in the neighborhood compliments her, and eats her bread anyways." I nod in understanding, and he lets me go, letting out a long, deep sigh.

"I guess I should go after her." he says, taking two rice cracker breads and putting them in his mouth. He runs out, following the way that Sanae had gone. _An interesting family... _I think, unable to stop myself from producing a small smile.

* * *

It isn't long before Sanae and Ushio's grandfather returned, looking a little happier. "I-I'm sorry." I say, rubbing the back of my head and bowing apologetically. "Oh, don't worry." Sanae assures me, giving me a smile. "Just don't let it happen again." her grandfather tells me, slitting is eyes and looking at me with a look that makes me gulp.

"Now now, Akio-san...Is that any way to treat one of Ushio's classmates?" Sanae says, and Akio turns and looks at me, as if just noticing that I was wearing the same uniform as Ushio. "Oh, he is? Well, why didn't you say so!" he says in a more cheerful voice, putting an arm on my shoulder. "Any friend of Ushio's is welcome here!" he tells me, giving me a thumbs up.

We all moved into their dining room and sat. "Where were you both at?" Ushio asks. "We were having a dinner with Mrs. Ibuki." Sanae explains, and Ushio's face lights up. "Ibuki-sensei? How is she?" Ushio and her grandmother begin to have their conversation about Ibuki, while Akio turns to me and tells me, "Hey, let's speak in private for a moment."

I look back at Ushio before nodding, and getting up to follow Akio out of the room.

* * *

Akio led me to a ladder that led up to the roof. "This is sort of my...area of reflection." he explains, pulling out a cigarette and putting it into his mouth, although not lighting it. "Now," he says, sitting down, "I've had to say this to another guy like you before, and I'm going to say it again."

I sit down near him, waiting for him to go on. He looks down at me, and I can the seriousness on his face. "You look like her father." he tells me, and I tilt my head, slightly confused. "That look of wanting to belong somewhere...Yeah, that brat had it too." he says.

_Brat? _I think, raising an eyebrow. Akio looks at me for a few moments before crossing his arms and nodding. "But I think you're more content than he was...Probably a better person too," he says, "And that brat never ceased to amaze me."

I find myself a little confused from his words. "So...What is it that you're trying to say?" I ask, and he looks up at the fading sunlight in the sky. "Nagisa..." he mumbles softly. "What?" I ask, and he shakes his head. "This is an all-too familiar scenario..." he says, turning his head towards me, "Take care of her..."

I look at him in disbelief. _Take care of her?..._

* * *

A few moments later, we descended from the roof and went back into the dining room. "Oh, Akio-san, Tokoi-san," Sanae says as we walk in, "I was wondering where you both were." Akio gives a grin and tells her, "Just a guys' talk." Looking over at me, he gives an obvious wink. I sigh. _What have I gotten into?_

"I was going to make dinner." Ushio says, looking at me. Then, she gives me a smile and asks, "Would you like me to make you some?" I shake my head. "No, I couldn't..." I say. "Oh, don't be so modest, Tokoi-san." Sanae assures me. "Like I said," Akio states, "Any friend of Ushio's is welcome here."

I look at the three people in front of me, all smiling and beaming with happiness. _This must be what a real family feels like... _I think. "Well, I guess I can't refuse." I say, and Ushio nods and walks into the kitchen. Akio pats me on the back and gives me another wink, followed by a thumbs up. "Thatta' boy" he states.

Sanae and Akio start to converse, smiling and laughing. Ushio occasionally comments and laughs along as well. The aroma from her cooking fills up the air, and I take a whiff of it. _It smells good, _I think with a grin. Looking around at the happy family, I find myself thinking, _I wonder what Ushio's parents are like... _

_You look just like him.. _I hear Akio say in my head. _That look of wanting to belong somewhere...Yeah, that brat had it too..._ I turn my head and I watch Ushio as she cooks.

_Take care of her... _

_Why would he say that?_

**To Be Continued****...**

**Next Chapter:**** Dango**


	5. Dango

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Chapter Four**

**Dango **

"I'm sorry for making you stay over so late..." Ushio says as we walk along the dark street. "That's alright, it's not like there was much else for me to do anyways." I assure her, but her face shows a slight frown. "N-Not that this was my last resort, it's just...Uh..." I begin to say, but she smiles at me and I stop in my nervous speech.

"I understand..." Ushio says as we stop at the corner of the street. "This is far enough, I live just right over there." I tell her, pointing up the road to the right. She nods, and gives me a smile as she says, "Goodnight, Tokoi-san." I give a smile back as I respond, "Goodnight, Ushio."

Then, we part ways. When I arrived at my grandmother's house, I looked back, and saw her still standing there, a lone figure in the darkness. I give her a wave, then she shyly waves back. After that, I watch as she turns and begins to walk back to the bakery. With a last look over at where she had been standing before, I walk inside the house.

"I'm home." I say as I step inside, closing the door behind me. "Ah, Konoda, your father is here." my grandmother says. For a few moments, I stand there, frozen in place, dropping my bag. _My...Father? _I think, memories of my father's drinking and cruelty. Without hesitation, I run over to the stairs, and I go up to my room.

"Konoda! Aren't you going to come say-" I hear her start to say, but it's cut off when I slam my door shut. _What business does he have to be here? _I think with a sigh, sitting down on my bed and putting my head in my hands. Suddenly, there is a knock at my door. "Who is it?" I mutter.

"Konoda..." I hear my father's voice say, "It's me..." After a few moments of just sitting there, I stand and walk over to the door. As soon as I open it, my father begins to say, "Listen, about the-"...But I slam the door shut in his face and I lock the door.

After a few moments of silence, I hear footsteps as my father goes back down the stairs. "Don't worry, Yurima...Just give him time to adjust." I hear my grandmother say. I continue to stand there by the door for a while, before I hear another knock at my door. "Konoda...It's me." my grandmother says. Opening the door, I can see a sad look on her face.

"You really hurt your father's feelings." she tells me. I shake my head. "Like that compares to what he's done to me..." I mutter. She sighs. "He's going to be staying here for a while," she explains, "To look for a job." That makes me raise an eyebrow. _My father getting a job? _I think, _I never thought That'd happen._

My grandmother looks down the stairs behind her and says, "He's trying to fix his life..." I shake my head. "He can't fix anything..." I mutter, and my grandmother sets her hand on my shoulder. "Give him a chance..." she tells me, before walking back down the stairs, and I close the door softly.

I found myself unable to go to sleep, thinking about my father staying in the same house as me for a while. _Does he think I can forgive him? _I wonder, looking out my window at the starry sky. With a sigh, I stand up, and put on my jacket, deciding to take a walk outside.

After sneaking my way to the front door, I slowly stepped outside, feeling the night chill envelope over me. Closing the door from behind, I close my eyes and I allow the wind to blow over me, giving me a sort of calm feeling. Looking to the left down the street, I can see the corner where I had left Ushio merely hours before.

After a few moments of thinking, I decide to make my way over to the Furukawa bakery. When I reach it, I can see that the light on the second floor is still on. _Maybe Ushio is still awake? _I wonder. I move closer to the front, and I'm about to call out to her, when I hear whispering from behind.

Turning around, I see none other than Ushio standing across the street, underneath a street light. A calming sort of glow surrounds her, and she holds out her hand, seeming to look at me, as she whispers some more words. _Is she talking to me? _I wonder, walking towards her.

When I reach her, she seems to be in a sort of trans. "Uh..." I begin to say, and she jumps slightly, startled to see me there. "T-Tokoi-san..." she stumbles to say, blushing slightly. "Sorry to startle you..." I say, rubbing the back of my head shyly. Ushio shakes her head. "I-I wasn't startled..I..." she begins to say, before blushing more and trailing off.

There's a sort of awkward silence between us for a few moments. "So, um...What were you doing just now?" I ask. She tilts her head and looks up at me, before realizing what I was talking about. "Oh, that was from a play." she explains. "A play?" I say questioningly, "Are you in theater?"

Ushio shakes her head. "N-No...But I heard my mother did it, so I thought that I might try it too..." she explains, and I nod in understanding. "Why don't you join the school's Theater Club then?" I ask, and Ushio looks down at the ground shyly. "I...I never got the nerves to try..." she says.

I sigh. "Would it be easier if I went with you?" I suggest to her, taking a step forward. She looks up at me. "Y-Yes..." she says, "But...Tokoi-san." "Hm?" I ask. Ushio blushes slightly as she asks, "W-Why are you being so nice to me? When we've only just met?"

I look up at the sky, setting my hand on my chin. _I'm not quite sure myself... _I think. "Well," I begin to say, "I like to help people...It gives me a feeling of belonging."

_That look of wanting to belong somewhere... _I hear Akio's voice say in my head. _I guess he was right about that, _I think with a sigh. Ushio tilts her head at me questioningly. "I-It's nothing." I assure her. "Hey, I actually never got a chance to ask...Where are your parents?" I ask.

Ushio looks at the ground and shuffles her feet. "M-My father is out of town for business..." she tells me. "And your mother?" I ask, and Ushio looks to the side, biting her lip. After a few moments without a response, she asks, "Tokoi...C-Can you come somewhere with me tomorrow?"

"Uh...Sure," I answer, "Where will we be going?" Ushio turns around and point up at a tall building not too far away. "The hospital over there." she answers.

_The hospital?... _I think. _Wait, so...Her mother... _

The next day went by quickly, and I was relieved to see that Risha hadn't come to school today, nor did I get ran over by a spontaneous girl riding a scooter. As soon as the bell rang, I started to make my way to the front of the school. However, as I passed the hall where the club rooms were, I stopped.

Walking down to the end of the hall, I find myself at the door to the Theater Club. I hear no noise coming from it, so I slide the door open to peer inside. I can see boxes stacked up all around the room. Sliding the door all the way open, I walk inside, examining the room.

_This club room looks abandoned, _I think, opening up a box and examining the props inside of it. When I look around once more, I see a piece of paper stuck onto the chalkboard at the front of the room. Walking up to it, I take it off the board and I walk over to the entrance to the room, to get more light.

The picture on it seems familiar to me. _This is...The dango family? _I think, examining it:

**Join the Theater Club!**

**Open House: May 15**

**After school in the theater club room.**

**Come and have fun.**

**President - At the end of the east wing**

**3-B Furukawa Nagisa of the school building.**

"Furukawa...?" I say, thinking about the sign hanging over the bakery entrance. _Is that...Ushio's mother? _I begin to wonder, when I hear footsteps come from nearby. Looking up, I can see Ushio standing there. "Tokoi-san...I was wondering where you were." she says in a relieved voice.

She walks closer to me and looks at the flier in my hands. "What is that?" she asks, and I hand it to her. Reading it, her eyes light up. "T-This is from when my mother was in the Theater Club!" Ushio exclaims. _Huh, so I was right. _I think, satisfied.

Ushio suddenly looks at me. "Oh, we should get going, before it's too late." she tells me. I nod, sliding the door shut, and beginning to follow her. She continues to look down at the paper in her hands, a smile on her face.

Looking at her, I feel a warmth of happiness envelop over me, watching Ushio and her smile.

_Take care of her... _Akio's voice says...

_I suddenly have a feeling...That I'll have to._

**To Be Continued****...**

**Next Chapter:**** Family**


	6. Family

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Went a little fast with this chapter, since it's the last two days of school, and there's final exams and such...So don't expect another chapter to come out as quickly as the others!**

**Chapter Five**

**Family**

We arrive at the hospital, where a doctor almost instantly says when we walk inside, "Oh, Ushio." Turning, I see a tall, mid-aged doctor walking towards us. "I'm assuming you're here you see your mother?" he states, and Ushio nods.

The doctor flips through a couple of pages his his clipboard, then traces his finger along the page. "Hm... It seems she's stable, so it should be alright for you to visit for a little while." he tells us, turning towards the clock, "But the visiting hours are almost over, so it's best if you make it quick."

Ushio nods, giving a slight respectful bow towards the doctor before turning and making her way down the right hallway. Near the end of it, we board onto the elevator, and she presses the button for the 4th floor. After a few moments, the doors close, and the elevator begins to ascend.

"T-Tokoi-san," Ushio says, and I turn and look at her, "Can I ask you something?" I nod, and she looks at the ground shyly for a few moments, before looking up at me and saying, "I think there's something I should tell you, about my mother..." I tilt my head and I look at her. "What is it?" I ask, and she responds, "My mother...is in a coma."

This news takes me by surprise, and I stand there, looking at Ushio in disbelief, her sitting there looking down at the ground, shuffling her feet slightly. The elevator stops, and the doors open. Ushio walks out of the elevator and begins to walk down the left hallway.

_A-A coma? _I think, beginning to follow her. _I didn't expect that..._

* * *

After a few minutes of walking, since Ushio surprisingly forgot her mother's room number, we finally arrive at the door to the room. "I-It's been a while since I've visited..." she explains, slowly opening the door and making her way inside of the room.

I hesitently follow her inside, and I close the door softly behind me. Ushio walks up to her mother's side, and I can't get a glimpse of her until I make my way to Ushio's side...

When I see her mother's peaceful face, I can't help but thinking, _Wow, she looks exactly like Ushio, and Sanae too! _Suddenly, I remember Akio mentioning the name Nagisa. _I guess this was why he seemed sort of lost in his memories that time..._

"She was really sick when she was giving birth to me..." Ushio suddenly says, "She made it through, but a day later...This happened." I look at Ushio, who's eyes were downcast and had a sad look in them. "That's why my father is away for business...So that he can pay for the bill to stay at the hospital..." she explains. "My grandparents are helping too...But they can't provide much for it..."

I look back down at Ushio's mother, and I see something out of the corner of my eye. Looking over at the corner of the room, near her mother's bed, I see three large dangos, stacked up on one another. "Uh...I'm guessing your mother liked the Dango Family?" I say, pointing at it. Ushio's eyes lighten up a little bit.

"Y-Yes, it was her favorite." she tells me, taking out the flier from her pocket and unfolding it, showing it to me, "As you can see." I can't help myself from giving an amused smile. _This family never ceases to be strange, _I think.

"I always sing the Dango Family song to her when I come to visit..." Ushio tells me, "I always think that...It might help her wake up..." I nod in understanding, and Ushio begins to sing, "_Dango, dango, dango, dango, Dango Daikozoku..._" She pauses for a few moments, and I can see a slight blush on her face.

I sigh. _I guess she feels embarrassed to sing it with me here... _I think. "_Dango,_" I begin to sing, and she looks up at me surprised. I give her a smile, and she returns with her own. Then, we begin to sing together, "_Dango, dango, dango, dango, Dango Daikozoku..."_

* * *

It isn't long until the same doctor from earlier came to tell us that visiting hours were over. As we leave, I can see the doctor looking at me. "I don't think I ever got your name." he says, extending his hand. I look down at it for a moment before answering, "Tokoi Konoda.", and shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you Tokoi," he says, nodding his head, "I am Dr. Chaan." I nod, and I give him a respectful bow as I put my hand back to my side and I begin to follow Ushio. "Hey, Tokoi." he says, and I stop, turning around to face him. "Take care of her, you hear?" he tells me, and I look back at Ushio for a few moments, before turning and saying, "I will..."

As I start to catch up with Ushio, I find myself wondering, _That's the second person to tell me something like that... But why? _I take a look up at the 4th floor of the hospital, seeing the image of Ushio's mother in my mind. _Is that why? _I think.

When I turn my head, I suddenly find myself running into somebody, causing us both to fall back onto the ground. "O-Ouch." I say, looking forward at the person I had run into. I'm surprised to find that it was the girl whom had run over me with the scooter two days before.

When she looks up, she points at me and says, "Y-You!" We both stand up at the same time, and she glares at me, which I return. After a few moments of simply glaring at each other, she suddenly blushes and looks down at the ground. I sigh. _You can't act tough if you're shy like that, _I think.

"That's the second time you've knocked me over." I say, and the girl crosses her arms and looks to the side, as if uninterested. With a sigh, I extend my hand towards her, "I'm Tokoi Konoda," I tell her, then, noticing she's wearing the same tan-colored uniform as me, I add on, "From class 2-B."

She looks down at my hand for a few moments before, looking at me and telling me, "I-I'm Nyou Fujibyashi...From class 2-A." Nyou reaches down hesitently and shakes my hand slightly, and I give her a smile, but she simply blushes and looks away. "Tokoi-san?" I hear, and, turning, I see Ushio standing nearby.

"O-Oh, I was..." I begin to say, but I turn, and I see Nyou quickly making her way towards the hospital. "...Nevermind." I say with a sigh, and I can see Ushio tilt her head in confusion. Then, together, we begin to walk back to our neighborhood.

* * *

When we arrive at the street where her and I split, we say our goodbyes, and I begin to make my way to my grandmother's house, when I suddenly remember that my father would probably be waiting for me there... Turning, I can see Ushio slowly walking down the street towards the bakery. With a sigh, I run and catch up with her.

"Ushio." I say, and she turns, startled. "C-Could I come over again?" I ask, and Ushio simply gives me a warm smile, and nods. I give a breath of relief. _I don't want to talk to him... _I think sourly, taking a last look towards my grandmother's house before following Ushio to the bakery.

When we arrive, we find Sanae standing outside, smiling at us as we get near. "I was wondering where you had gone Ushio," she says, "Did you go to see your mother?" Ushio nods, and Sanae looks over at me. "So, you must know about her condition?" she asks me, and I nod.

Sanae nods, and makes her way into the bakery, followed by Ushio. However, I stand there for a few moments, as something begins to come into my mind...

_Ushio!... _I hear somebody's voice shout in my head, _Someone...Someone save Ushio! _I cover my head as a massive headache sweeps over me. _Ouch, damn.._ I think, _What...Was that?_

A vision of a man appears in my eyes for a few moments, before blurring and disappearing...

Surprisingly...He looks a lot like me...

**To Be Continued****...**

**Next Chapter:**** Dream**


	7. Dream

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Yes! Another chapter after like, a month! :O!**

**Chapter Six**

**Dream**

After dinner that night with the Furukawa family, the next day came and went. Before I knew it, I was walking home from school, since Ushio had apparently gotten sick a little after I had left the night before, and hadn't come to school. Besides her, I didn't really have anybody to talk to, and I was happy not to have another encounter with Risha.

However, when I arrived at my house, I stopped at the door. _He's probably still here, _I thought bitterly. Turning around, I looked down the street to where I had left Ushio the night before. I then decided to head over to the Furukawa Bakery, to at least check up on how she was doing. When I entered, I was greeted by Sanae, which wasn't surprising.

"Oh, hello Konoda," she said, nodding her head towards me, "Are you here to see Ushio?" I nodded, and the usual smile on her face faded. "I'm sorry to tell you... But Ushio is very sick, and needs to get as much rest as possible." Sanae told me, and I tilted my head slightly.

"How sick is she?" I wondered, and Sanae shrugged, turning her head away from me. "Her mother was like this too..." she said, and the image of Ushio's mother appeared in my head. _She couldn't end up like that, _I wondered, _could she?_

Suddenly, Sanae turned back towards me with a smile on her face, "But there's no need to worry... I'm sure she'll be alright. Just let her rest for the day." she told me, and I nodded. "Well...Please tell her I stopped by." I said before leaving, giving a goodbye wave and exiting the bakery.

Once outside, I looked around, unsure of what I should do next. _Great...What else can I do now? _I wondered, looking up towards the second floor of the bakery, where Ushio's room was. _I hope Sanae is right, _I thought as I started to walk away, the image of Ushio's mother still lingering in my head.

When I arrived back at my grandmother's house, I was surprised to find that nobody was there. _Well, at least I don't have to talk to him, _I thought with a sigh of relief, heading upstairs to my room. Once inside, I set my bag down by my bed and I laid down, exhausted, and ready to simply go to sleep...

Before I knew it, my eyes closed, and I drifted off...

* * *

In my dream, I could see a room, with bright sunlight pouring in from the windows, and through the doorway. Two people were standing there, facing each other... One looked extremely familiar. _Ushio's mother? _I thought as I watched the scene.

The other person in front of her appeared to be the man I had seen in my vision before... He turned away from her for a moment and said, "I told you I had to talk to you yesterday, right?" Nagisa nodded, and asked, "Yes, what is it, Tomoya-kun?"

"Um...How should I put it?..." Tomoya began to say. After a few moments, he continues, "Would...Wouldn't it be interesting to say that we're dating when we wake up tomorrow?" I could see Nagisa's eyes widen slightly. Suddenly, Tomoya turned towards her.

"Please date me, Nagisa." he said, "I love you, so I want you to always be with me." I could see Nagisa as she started to have tears swell up in her eyes, and she nodded, a smile on her face that I haven't even seen Sanae or Ushio make before.

_Wait, could this Tomoya... _I wondered, _Be Ushio's dad? _My vision suddenly brought me to the chalk board behind Nagisa, in which I could read their two names...

Furukawa Nagisa and Okazaki Tomoya. _Okazaki Ushio, _I thought as the dream started to fade...

* * *

Suddenly, I woke up, looking around. I could see that I had slept for a while, since it was dark outside. The dream I had had was still lingering in my mind, and I could remember it vividly._ Was that something that really happened? _I wondered.

Taking out my cellphone, I checked the time. 10 o'clock at night. _Maybe I can ask Sanae...Or Akio, _I thought, wanting to get to the bottom of it. Slipping on my jacket, I headed downstairs, careful to not make a noise, and made my way outside.

I walked towards the Furukawa Bakery, and, once there, I could see that Ushio's light was on. _Is she awake? _I wondered. Walking up to the front door of the bakery, I raised my hand to knock, when I suddenly heard a soft voice from somewhere behind me...

Turning, I was surprised to see Ushio standing in the lone street light across the street, facing towards me, extending her hand. "If you wish," she said softly, "Would you like me to take you?" I watched as Ushio seemed to gleam in the light, and was mesmerized by the sight.

"To a place in the city where wishes come true..." Ushio finished, closing her eyes, and the soft, night breeze rolled over as I watched the beauty radiate off of her... Suddenly, her eyes opened, and she looked at me and asked, "What are you doing here?"

I was startled by her sudden question towards me. "Did you leave something at my house?" Ushio asked, and I shook my head. "Uh...No, I was just taking a walk..." I lied, not really focusing on what I was doing at that moment. "What were you doing?" I wondered.

Ushio smiled towards me, "Reciting lines from a play," she answered, "It's one of my favorites." I gave a slight smile back, "Ah, so it was just a play..." I said. Ushio nodded. I then began to wonder something, so I asked her, "Hey...Weren't you sick?"

She turned away and nodded, looking down at the ground. "I was... But I'm feeling better now." she told me, giving a cough, and I instantly knew she was lying. "You know," I said, walking up to her, "If you don't get some rest, you won't get better." Ushio nodded, then giggled suddenly.

"You sound like my dad..." she said with a smile, and my dream seemed to come back to me for a moment, and I could see the image of Tomoya and Nagisa... "Tomoya..." I muttered, and Ushio nodded. "How did you know his name?" she asked me.

I shook my head. "Um... I guess your grandparents brought it up." I said, and Ushio looked up in thought. "I don't remember that..." she said, and I sighed. "That doesn't matter anyways," I told her, "You should get some rest."

Ushio looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet. "I practice out here quite often..." she told me, "Because I've always wanted to follow in my mother's footsteps..." I looked at her for a few moments, then gave her a smile, patting my hand on her head.

"That's good... But there's no need to push yourself." I told her, and Ushio looked up at me, then smiled and nodded. "I...I guess not." she said, coughing a little bit. I set my hand on her forehead, and I could feel that it was really warm.

"You definitely have a fever," I told her, "You need to go inside and rest, so that you can come to school tomorrow." Ushio looked up at me, tilting her head slightly. I gave her a grin, "After all, we can't start the Theater Club again if you're not there, right?"

Ushio's face lit up, and she gave me her warmest smile yet. An image of Nagisa appeared for a moment, and I could easily see the resemblance between the two. _Like mother, like daughter, _I thought.

After convincing Ushio to go back inside, I began to walk away, back towards my grandmother's house. However, I heard her voice come from behind. "Tokoi-san..." Ushio's voice said, and I turned and looked up, seeing her up on the second floor.

"What is it, Ushio?" I wondered, and she looked at me for a few moments, blushing slightly. "N...Nothing." she said, looking down at the ground. I tilted my head slightly, then shrugged, waving goodbye. Ushio waved back, before I could see her walking back into her room.

For a while, I stood there, just watching where I had seen Ushio moments before. _Now I'm wondering... _I began to think:

_Are we meant to follow in Tomoya and Nagisa's footsteps?_

**To Be Continued...**

**Next Chapter - Theater**

**Note: I was kinda brain-dead on this chapter, although it does have a very important plot-point in it. _ Hopefully that won't be the case for the next. Anyways, Read, Review, Enjoy, and Stay Tuned! :O**


	8. Theater

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: If any of you thought this chapter would be happy... Turn back down! ;I Anyways, Read, Review, and Enjoy! **

**Chapter Seven**

**Theater**

The next day came quickly... And I found that I couldn't really focus on any of my classes. Once the last bell rang, I headed over to the Theater Club-room, expecting Ushio to be waiting there... But she wasn't. _She must still be sick, _I thought with a sigh. _I told her that would happen._

I shrugged it off, and just walked home, thinking she would probably be there the next day...

...But she wasn't. Two more days came, and went, and I saw no sign of her. _I guess I'll go check on her, _I thought, wondering just how bad her condition was. When I arrived at the bakery, nobody was there, although the door was unlocked. "Hello?" I said, looking around, but there was no response...

_Where are they at? _I wondered. Just as I was about to leave, I saw a note sitting on the front counter. Picking it up, I moved over towards the door to get some light, and I could see that my name was written on the top of it. Underneath it, it said...

"_Konoda-san, Akio and I have taken Ushio to the Bushian Hospital, because of her condition not being too good..." _I read, _I knew that you would come to check on her, but, for now, she needs to rest... _There were a few stains on the note from what appeared to be tears...

_-Sanae_

I stood there for a few moments, speechless. _She can't be doing too well if she's at the hospital..._I thought, crumpling up the note. _Ushio... _I left the bakery quickly, closing the door behind me, and I quickly began to run to the hospital as fast as I could...

* * *

It only took me a few minutes of sprinting before I arrived. Once I stepped inside, I was panting slightly, tired from the run, and I could see Dr. Chaan standing at the front counter, a clipboard in his hands. "Dr. Chaan!" I said, walking up to him. He turned towards me, and said in a sort of grave voice, "Oh...Tokoi, wasn't it?"

I nodded, and looked around. "What room is Ushio in?" I asked, and I could see a flash of sadness come across his eyes. "Listen, she's in a bad condition..." he explained. "How bad?..." I wondered, and he flipped through the pages of his clipboard. "As of two mornings ago... Her grandparents couldn't wake her up," Dr. Chaan told me, "They quickly brought her here...But we have yet to be able to awaken her."

My eyes opened wide. "S-So...She's..." I tried to say, and Dr. Chaan nodded. "If it is as bad as we think... We may be dealing with a situation that could end up just like her mother." he told me, and I looked down at the ground, not wanting to imagine it... _To go in a coma like that, and leave everything behind... _I thought, _There's no way I'll let that happen._

I looked up at Dr. Chaan, and asked him again, "What room is she in?" He shook his head. "You don't understand...The more rest she gets, the better-" he tried to explain, but I grabbed him by his tie and pulled him down slightly. "Just...Tell me!" I said, getting slightly aggravated.

Dr. Chaan sighed, and shook his head. _Why can't he just let me see her? _I thought, glaring at him. Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind, "D-Dad!" Turning my head, I was surprised when I was suddenly tackled to the ground. "What the..." I said, surprised. Looking up, I could see the familiar purple hair and eyes above me...

"N-Nyou?" I said, and she stood up and turned towards Dr. Chaan. "What was he doing to you?" she asked, and Dr. Chaan shook his head and sighed. "It's alright, Nyou." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. He then bent over and reached forward to give me a hand, but I just knocked it away and stood.

I took the clipboard from Dr. Chaan's hands and looked at the first page, hoping to find the room number... _Here it is, _I thought, finding the floor and room numbers. Suddenly, Nyou ripped the clipboard out of my hands, and back-handed me, which took me by surprise.

"What's your problem?" she said, glaring at me. I glared back, and Dr. Chaan put his hand on Nyou's shoulder. "It's alright..." he told her. Then, turning to me, he said, "She's on the fourth floor... Room number 4-23." I nodded, and turned, saying, "I...I'm sorry." Dr. Chaan nodded, "It's alright." he said, and I walked away to the elevator, and ascended to the fourth floor.

* * *

Once there, I wandered through the hallways until I finally began to get close. _4-21... 4-22... 4-23. _I thought as I reached the room that Dr. Chaan had told me. I gulped as I reached for the door handle. Turning the handle, I opened the door, not knowing what to expect...

...And when I stepped in, I could see Ushio laying their peacefully in one bed...And her mother in another bed beside her. Sitting in between them was Akio and Sanae, both with a sad look on their face. They turned their attention to me when I walked in. "Oh, it's just you, brat." Akio said, although his tone wasn't very lively.

I nodded, and walked over to Ushio's bedside. "I'm...Guessing you know." Akio said, and I nodded. He sighed, and looked down at the floor. "We told Dr. Chaan not to let you come up here..." he said, and I tilted my head slightly. Akio looked up at me and gave me a small grin, "But that didn't stop you, did it?"

I gave a small grin in return, and nodded, then my grin faded when I looked down at Ushio, who had a peaceful look on her face, as her mother did beside her. Sanae suddenly stood up, and looked at me, with a few tears in her eyes, "We were about to leave...To go prepare the bakery for tomorrow..." she said, wiping the tears away.

Akio stood up as well, and the two of them made their way to the door. "No..." I said, and they stopped, "I can do that if you want me to...You both can stay here." Akio walked over to me, putting his hand on my shoulder, and shaking his head. Sanae made her way to the door, and left.

"She's saying your name..." Akio whispered to me as he began to walk away, and I simply stood there for a few moments... _Saying...My name? _I thought. Turning, I could see that Akio and Sanae had left. I walked over to one of the chairs sitting in between the two beds, and sat down, looking at Ushio...

_She'll be alright...Won't she? _I thought, watching her in her peaceful state...

"Tokoi..." she whispered, and my eyes widened. "U-Ushio?" I said, but there was no response. _Is she unconsciously saying my name? _I wondered. "If you wish..." she began to whisper, "Would you like me to take you?..." I could remember her saying that three nights before...From her favorite play...

I felt a tear come to my eye as I watched her, unconsciously speaking... "To a place in the city where wishes come true..." she finished, and I couldn't stop myself from starting to cry... Sudden flashes of memory came through me... The nights I spent with Ushio and her grandparents...The time we first met under the large tree in the courtyard... Our hospital visit to her mother... Her smile that never ceased to gleam brightly...

"_Look, Ushio, It's the Big Dango Family!" _I heard Tomoya's familiar voice say in my head. I closed my eyes, and I could see what appeared to be a younger version of Ushio, staring intently at three, large dango-shaped pillows. "Big...Dango family?" she said, and Tomoya nodded, "They were your mother's favorite." he said, and Ushio smiled, walking forward and hugging the pillows. I could see Tomoya smile as he watched Ushio, and I could feel myself smiling as well from watching the scene...

Then...I could see Ushio and I as we sang beside Nagisa's bed... Opening my eyes, I looked at Ushio, and leaned forward...

...And I began to sing. _"Dango...dango...dango..."_ I stopped for a moment to sob, _"Dango..Dango...Daikozoku..." _I looked at Ushio for a few moments... And I was surprised when I suddenly saw her lips begin to move, although no sound came out...

But I could read them clearly, and my eyes opened wide as I realized what she had said...

_Thank you... Tokoi..._

**To Be Continued...**

**Next Chapter - Fathers**

**Note: I am aware that there wasn't much about Theater in here...But, well, it works out I guess. ;I Leave me a review if you will, since this chapter was kinda...Extreme. :O **


	9. Fathers

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Another chapter? No way! :O Anyways, here's the next chapter(Finally!), and I PROMISE to update A LOT more frequently! School has been hectic for me, but I'm getting around now to updating all of my unfinished stories.**

**So, without further a-do. The eight chapter... drum roll...OF THE LOST GIRL!**

**Lots of information is revealed in this dramatic chapter, to make up for the time I haven't updated. :D Hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter Eight**

**Fathers**

I opened my eyes to a dark and empty world. Or, at least, that's what it seemed like.

I've been in this town for over two months now...And I feel happier than I ever was before. But with this happiness, came the sorrow that I have to experience...

Ushio's condition only got worse. A lot worse. She began to slip in and out of consciousness, and her screams that came in between could be heard almost all throughout the fourth floor of the hospital. I couldn't even bring myself to visit her anymore, and thinking of her couldn't bring anymore tears...

I continued to visit Ushio's grandparents almost every day after school. Akio continued his antics and hardened yet non-serious attitude, while Sanae had her usual smile that never seemed to go away. But even through the false expressions on their faces...I could still see their sorrow.

And along with that sorrow was dread. Dread that they may lose everything that they hold dearly.

Although I never told them...I was afraid of the same thing.

* * *

Another week passed, and I got a call from Dr. Chaan that Ushio's condition had settled down. Now would be the best time for me to visit her.

So I took that moment to leave my house and head for the hospital. Along the way, I passed by the Furukawa Bakery to see if Akio and Sanae would be visiting her too...But, looking in through the doorway, I could tell that they were too busy...

...And I felt a pang of sadness for them. _They can't stop living their lives, even if tragedy like this comes, _I thought, hesitantly walking away and heading for the hospital again. After a few minutes, I arrived.

When I walked in, Dr. Chaan was standing at the front counter, obviously knowing that I would be coming. "Tokoi." he said with a nod of his head as I approached him. "Knowing you, I figured you'd come immediately." he told me, giving a friendly smile...But I found that I couldn't give one back.

Dr. Chaan's expression turned to a serious one as he saw the look on my face. "I know it'll be a hard road ahead...But I'll assure you, that we're doing everything we can to make her better." he told me, patting me on the shoulder. I nodded, glancing down at the ground. "Dr. Chaan." a woman's voice came from nearby. "O-Oh, I'm coming." he turned his head and said to her.

"Tokoi," Dr. Chaan said, and I looked up at him, "As much as I hate saying this...Please don't get too attached to Ushio..." My mouth gaped, and Dr. Chaan walked away to do other business. I gulped. _No...He can't mean... _I began to think, quickly making my way to the elevator and riding it up to the fourth floor.

* * *

When I opened the door to Ushio's room, I was surprised to see none other than Risha sitting beside her bed. She looked up at me with a look that I've never seen her have: Sadness.

"R-Risha?" I said, surprised, "What are you doing here?" She looked up at me and gave me the usual glare...But then stopped. "Well..." she began to explain, "I heard that nobody has been visiting her in a while...So I decided to come myself." I couldn't help but chuckling. _She's so stubborn, _I thought.

Risha glared at me. "What? Do you think this is funny?" she said in an irritated voice. I shook my head, and walked over and sat beside her. I looked at Ushio's peaceful expression, and, out of the corner of my eye, I could see Risha staring at me with a puzzled look.

"Does...she mean a lot to you?" she asked suddenly, and I felt my face flush a little. "U-Uh..." I tried to answer her question, but couldn't bring myself to say it. I cleared my throat, and then told her, "Y-Yeah...She does." I began to feel uneasy under Risha's stare.

"I can't figure you out," she said with a sigh, finally looking away, "You're an idiot...but you're too nice." I raised an eyebrow and glanced over at her. "There's not much to figure out," I told her, "Maybe you're too stubborn to realize that." Risha quickly stood and grabbed me by the collar, yelling, "Don't you dare call me stubborn, you...You idiot!"

I couldn't help but smile at the familiarity of the scene, as if nothing bad was happening in that moment. _It feels nice to be talking to someone, _I thought, _Even if that person is hard-headed. _"W-Why are you smiling? Stop that!" Risha said, rearing her leg back for a kick...

...But she stopped as the door opened. She let go of me, and we both stared at the pair of men who walked in. Dr. Chaan and...

Tomoya. I recognized him instantly. The man I had seen in my visions. I clenched my fists, as a sudden burst of emotions overcame me. "Tokoi, I'd like you to meet-" Dr. Chaan began to say, but I quickly ran to Tomoya, grabbing him by the shirt and knocking him back against the wall. "You!" I said, glaring at him, "Where have you been? Not showing your face when your family needs you most!"

Dr. Chaan and Risha both came to me and wrestled me back. It took them a few moments to break my death grip on Tomoya. "I-I'm sorry about this," Dr. Chaan told him, "Tokoi has been through a lot these last few weeks, and-" But Tomoya raised a hand to stop him.

"I understand." Tomoya said, walking up to me and setting a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry." he said...But I could tell that he wasn't only talking to me. He turned and looked at his wife and daughter...And for a moment, I realized his pain...

"Tokoi, you must understand," Dr. Chaan told me, "Both I and Tomoya have had to raise a child alone." I looked at Dr. Chaan, seeing a sad look on his face. It was the first time that Dr. Chaan had ever talked about his wife. "Alone?" I said, and Dr. Chaan nodded.

I realized then that the pain they have experienced is one that I can't even imagine. Even my father, whom I despise so much...Did he have this kind of pain when my mother passed away? I was barely walking at that time. I've been told that I have my mother's looks...And that must have pained him heavily.

"My wife Ryou and Nagisa were good friends," Dr. Chaan told me, "It was only three years ago since the accident took her from me..." For a moment, a tear seemed to settle in Dr. Chaan's eye, but he wiped it away. "I...I..." I tried to tell them that I was sorry, but I couldn't quite say it.

"I can't imagine how that'd feel..." Risha said, and Dr. Chaan nodded. "Tomoya has been working to keep his family alive...That's what matters the most." he said. Tomoya nodded, and patted my shoulder, walking past me to sit in between Ushio and Nagisa.

I watched him as he held both of their hands, and he said to them, "Nagisa...Ushio...I'm here..." Suddenly, the visions I had seen before all came back to me. I could see everything that had led up to this moment...The troubles that had befallen on this family...

...And a voice snapped me back into reality.

"Dad..." Ushio's voice came, as her eyes opened and looked up at her father. Her eyes then slowly moved to look at me.

"Tokoi..." she said, giving me a warm smile...

And my tears...They finally came.

"Ushio..."

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Return**

**Note: Well? Big story point much? :D The next chapter will include two more revelations about what happened to Sunohara and Yurino. So, stay tuned! :D**


	10. Return

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hello hello! As promised, here's another chapter coming up fresh and hot without a 6 month wait like last time! xD So, please read, review, and enjoy!**

**Just a quick note: This isn't really a story spoiler, since you're about to read it right now, but she isn't asking for a WEDDING ring, like in the dream, she's just asking for a ring. Don't get the wrong idea and think that 16-year-olds are going to get engaged or something. :**

**Chapter Nine**

**Return**

"I heard a story once about these things called 'Orbs of Happiness'." Risha said, staring out the hospital room window. It had been three days since Ushio had awoken, but she's staying in the hospital for a while longer to get her strength back. I made sure to visit her after school every day, and, to my surprise, so did Risha.

"Orbs of Happiness?" I asked. Risha nodded. "They say that when you make someone happy, you'll see an orb of light floating off into the sky." she said. I raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I didn't know you were the religious type." She glared at me for a moment, before sighing and looking back out the window. "I'm just trying to make conversation..It's nothing I believe in." she explained.

I gazed at Risha for a few moments, her eyes seemingly in a trance, watching the rain clatter onto the window. A loud crackle of thunder shot above, and Risha flinched. I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing, but she noticed, and stood and yelled at me, "W-What's so funny?" As she began to blush, I couldn't stop myself from busting out laughing.

Risha rolled up her sleeve, and was obviously about to inflict some kind of pain upon me, but she stopped when Ushio suddenly said, "Tokoi?" I looked past Risha to see Ushio looking up at me from her bed. I quickly sat beside the bed and gave her a slight smile. "S-Sorry, did we wake you up?" I asked. Ushio shook her head.

"I was having a good dream," she said, looking down at her hands, "And I woke up at the end of it." I raised an eyebrow, and Ushio looked at me and smiled. "You were there...and you gave me a ring." she said, lifting her left hand, and I could almost imagine a ring settled on her finger...

It took me a few moments to realize what the dream was. I heard Risha chuckling behind me, and my face flushed. "W-What? You dreamt that...that..." I tried to say, and Ushio nodded, seemingly unembarrassed by the awkward dream. It took a few moments before my face returned to normal, but Risha continue to laugh.

"Tokoi...when I get out of the hospital, will you buy me a ring?" Ushio asked. Risha suddenly stopped laughing, and I raised an eyebrow. I was trying to see if she was joking, but her face showed nothing but seriousness. I sighed and rubbed the back of my head, thinking for a few moments.

"Sure?" I said, gently placing my hand over hers, "Why not?" She gave me her warm smile, and I gave one back. I could feel Risha's gaze tearing through the back of my head. I could just imagine that she was thinking, _"I'll kill him if he doesn't keep his promise with her." _My smile widened as I began to feel happiness and comfort...Something that I hadn't felt in what seemed like a long, long time...

* * *

Over the next few days, the storming had stopped, and the sun began to show once again. Ushio had begun to get back onto a routine sleeping schedule, and had more energy after waking up. Dr. Chaan agreed to letting her and I go out for walks now that the storming was over with, so that her leg muscles could get back into shape.

Today, we were taking a walk down a road that Ushio says her father took her to a lot when she was younger. Her arm was locked with mine as we walked, so that I could give her some support."I love walking down this road," she said, looking at the rows of cherry blossoms on either side of us, "It's really beautiful in the Spring."

I glanced over at Ushio, who's eyes were gleaming with happiness. The brightness of the cherry blossom leaves blowing behind her made Ushio seem to glow even more. "Yeah...it is beautiful." I said, and she looked at me and smiled.

* * *

Another week passed, and Ushio was finally allowed to return to school. That first day that she returned, I made sure that she was in for a surprise.

"Where are we going?" she asked, following me along the hallway where all of the club-rooms were. _She must have forgotten about coming here, _I thought with a sigh. "You'll see." I told her. At the end of the hall, we came to a room with 'Theater Club' on the door.

Ushio stared blankly at it for a few moments. "T-Tokoi..?" she said. I smiled at her and motioned for her to go in. She hesitantly opened the door, and stepped in. Ushio gasped, and her face suddenly lit up. "Welcome back, Ushio..." I told her, setting a hand on her shoulder.

A couple of days before, Risha and Nyou had both agreed to help me restore the Theater Club. Risha is too tough for theater, and Nyou is too shy...But they took it onto themselves to help out a friend. So, after lots of cleaning and re-organizing, the club-room was finally presentable.

The only thing that had given us trouble was finding a teacher to represent us. After asking around, we finally found that the only available teacher was the counselor, Mr. Agato. After agreeing to represent us, I went to the student council for permission to re-start the club, with Ushio as the club's head.

"Surprised?" I said, and Ushio slowly nodded. I led her over to the chalkboard at the front of the room, which had the names of all the members sprawled out on it:

**Theater Club Head: Okazaki Ushio**

**Members: Konoda Tokoi, Toshino Risha, Fujibayashi Nyou, Terin Irisa**

I watched Ushio read the names, and I could see the surprise on her face as she read the last name. "I-Irisa...?" she said. The door to the room opened suddenly, and, just as it was planned, the other three members walked in. Risha, Nyou...And, after them, Irisa.

It was the first time I had actually seen Ushio's old friend, with her long, wavy purple hair and a gentle expression. _I see why her and Ushio were friends, _I thought. "Ushio..." she said with a smile, and Ushio suddenly ran up to her old friend and hugged her, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I made sure that all of our friends were here." I said, and Ushio looked at me and smiled...

And a cough suddenly came from behind Risha and Nyou. Turning, everyone looked at the person who was standing in the doorway. "Don't forget me!" the person said, and my eyes widened as I realized who it was.

"Y-Yurino?"

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Promise**

**This will be the end of Part One. My plan is to have Part One and Part two, each with 10 chapters in them. Kind of like Clannad and Clannad:After Story.**

**Note: Yurino makes his return! Finally! XO Hope you liked this chapter! **

**And, just in case you forgot, Irisa was mentioned in one of the first chapters, so this isn't really a new character being introduced. And, as you may notice later on, Irisa is a kind of replacement for Kotomi. **


	11. Promise

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hey hey hey everyone! Like that the chapters are coming out faster? I hope so! :) Like I said in the last chapter, this is the final chapter in Part One – Tears and Happiness. The reason I changed it into two-parts, is because it makes it a little more organized like that. Give some feedback in your review if you'd be so kind. ;)**

**This chapter is a little short, but has some major plot stuff in it, so...Yeah. xD**

**Anyways, please read, review, and Enjoy! :D**

**Chapter Ten**

**Promise**

"Hey hey, Konoda!" Yurino said with a grin. I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?" I asked. He walked into the room and looked around at everyone. He then walked up to me and whispered, "Already surrounded by girls I see? You must have it good here!" I sighed and shook my head. "I see you're still the same." I commented, and he just grinned.

Yurino then turned and gave a sort of mocking bow to everyone. "Hello everyone, I am the one and only Yurino!" he said, making a sort of pose. Everyone just blinked at him, and nobody said anything. "I know, I know...My beauty is hard to take in! Don't worry though, you'll get used to i-" he began to say, before Risha gave him a good kick to the stomach.

Glaring at him, she crossed her arms and said, "Who do you think you are?" Yurino took a few moments to recover, and then got up and went back to his cocky look. "You're lucky that I wasn't ready for that...You'd be in for a world of hurt if I was prepa-" he tried to tell her, but he was already sent flying towards the wall, falling to the ground with a thud.

"T-Tough crowd..." he muttered, obviously dazed. "R-Risha, that wasn't nice." Nyou said. "Hmph, he's even worse than that idiot there." Risha said, pointing at me. I sighed. _It's been a while since anybody compared me to Yurino, _I thought. "Hey, Yurino," I began to ask as he slowly stood up, "Why are you here?"

"Oh, I'm transferring to this school." he said, wiping himself off. That took me by surprise, and I heard Risha's irritated sigh. "Great..." she commented. Ushio suddenly walked up to Yurino and extended her hand slightly. "H-Hi...I'm Okazaki Ushio." she said. I noticed Risha watching Yurino closely, and I did the same...But, to my surprise, Yurino shook her hand politely, and said, "Tachita Yurino."

I couldn't help but chuckle slightly. _Leave it to Yurino to only be polite around girls like Ushio, _I thought. Nyou hesitantly walked over and introduced herself, followed by Irisa. Risha stood where she was, still glaring at him. Yurino squinted his eyes at her, and walked towards her, his hand outstretched. She looked at it for a moment, before grabbing it and squeezing it hard, making Yurino grunt in pain.

"Risha." she said plainly, letting go of him. Yurino fell to his knees and held onto his hand. "O-Ouch! Jeez..." he said, shaking his limp hand helplessly. Everyone laughed, and I helped my old friend up. "Hey, tell me," I asked him, "How bad were your injuries?"

Yurino shrugged, and looked himself over. "They weren't all that bad. It took a little over a month for me to heal," he told me, "Once I was able to go back to school, I convinced my parents to let me transfer here!" I raised an eyebrow. "They moved to this town just to let you go to school here?" Yurino shook his head. "Nah, my parents gave me money to rent a dorm room," he said, "Besides the manager being strict, it's pretty comfortable there."

I grinned and gave my friend a pat on the shoulder. "Well, you have some good timing." I said, walking over to the chalkboard and adding his name to the list. He raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Why are you putting my name on there?" As I finished writing his name, I laughed, and said, "Welcome to the Theater Club."

* * *

After much debate from Yurino about not wanting to be in the club, I finally convinced him to join, after telling him that he and I were the only guys in the club. "Four girls, two guys?" he said, looking up in thought, "That's...awesome! Sign me up!" I grinned, knowing that if he tried anything on any of the girls, Risha would completely destroy him.

Nyou and Risha were the first to leave, followed by Irisa, who said goodbye to Ushio. "I'm sorry for not talking to you," she said, "But the seniors and juniors are in different parts of the school, and..." Ushio nodded and smiled at her. "I-It's okay..." she said, and we waved goodbye to her.

Then, it was Yurino's turn. "Hey, make sure you visit me later, Konoda," he told me over his shoulder, "Just be careful, because Sagara is really strict." _Sagara...That must be the manager he was talking about, _I thought, waving to him as he left. Then, it was only Ushio and I in the clubroom.

For a few minutes, there was a sort of awkward silence. "W-Well..." she said, "Should we walk home now?" I nodded, but, suddenly remembering something, I said, "Hold on." Grabbing a piece of chalk, I began to write on the bottom-right corner of the chalkboard:

**Okazaki Ushio**

**Konoda Tokoi**

Setting down the chalk, I turned back to her and smiled. "There...We can have our names in this room for the students who come after us to see." I said, and Ushio looked at what I had written. She smiled at me, and then blushed slightly and turned away. I tilted my head slightly, and asked, "What is it?"

She looked down and played with her hands for a moment, before saying, "U-Um...I just wanted to say..." she paused for a moment, before looking up at me, "Thank you..." Those words took me by surprise, and the fading sunlight peaking through the doorway hit Ushio in a way that made her seem to glow.

"Ushio..." I said, walking up to her and embracing her, which obviously took her by surprise.

"I'll always be there for you...that's a Promise." I told her, and I felt her arms hesitantly wrap around me. "I-I'm glad..." she told me.

I didn't want that moment to end. I wanted to stay with her right there. Forever.

_I'll always protect you..._

_Ushio._

**End of Part One**

**Next Chapter - Peace**

**Note: Hey hey hey! Did you like it? :D Too bad there wasn't a kiss, right? :/ I didn't feel like this was a good enough moment for it yet, so you'll just have to wait. ;D Stay tuned for Part Two of the story! **


	12. Part Two: Love and Life

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hello hello! It's been a long time since this story started, so I'd like to thank all of you who have continued reading, and have left helpful reviews! :)**

**Part Two: Love and Life**

**The summer has passed, and School Festival is coming up quickly. The Theater Club is taking part in it, with a one-act play starring Ushio. As the bonds between Ushio and Tokoi become even closer, they will be forced to make choices that will affect their lives forever...**


	13. Peace

Clannad

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hello hello! Here's yet another chapter of The Lost Girl to start off the second part! Hope you like it! :D**

**Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eleven - ****Peace**

Summer break came and went. During that time, I found myself working at the Furukawa Bakery to make a little extra money. It was also to check up on Ushio, who was hard at work to catch up on what she'd missed in school. I know she's afraid of everybody moving on without her...But I know that I would never do that to her.

Near the end of the break, I was asked if I'd like to continue helping out at the bakery. I had no real reason to refuse, so I told them yes. And so, it was decided that I would come there every day after school to help around for a few hours, and, on the weekends, I'd go in the morning to open it up and prepare everything. It sounded like it'd be hard to do...But I figured I'd get used to it.

Before I left on that last day of the break, I couldn't help but feel like I was part of Ushio's family. Something that I had never really had. People you can depend on...People who don't die when you're at a young age, and whom don't kick you out and abandon you...

A true family.

* * *

That first day of school came, and I woke up like any other day and got ready. Once I was done, I said goodbye to my grandmother and headed outside, where, as usual, Ushio was already waiting for me. We walked down the same road as always, mostly quiet, but occasionally talking about anything that comes to mind...And I felt a sense of peace settling upon my life...Finally...

Once we arrived at school, we found Yurino and Risha waiting for us. Yurino already had a nice mark on his face, where Risha had obviously done some damage to him. "H-Hey Konoda, Ushio." he said nervously. I raised an eyebrow. "You're really good at scaring people." I told her, and Risha gave a satisfied grin. "Only weak idiots like this." she said, mockingly drilling her fist into Yurino's cheek.

I smiled. _Besides fighting a lot...They seem to get on pretty well, _I thought. Just a few moments later, both Nyou and Irisa arrived, and our whole group was finally here. Everyone began to tell about what they had done, and I sighed as everyone but Ushio and I had some kind of interesting story to tell. But, watching Ushio, I could tell she was happy with having a group of friends to talk with again. And seeing here happy...Made me happy in return.

After talking for a while, the warning bell rang, and everybody quickly went to their classrooms. Yurino told me that he was in class 2-A, which was the same class as Nyou. "It's a shame we didn't get the same class." he told me with a grin. I gave a fake laugh and a smile, secretly thinking, _Thank god._

Ushio and I split once we got to room 2-B, and, after telling her goodbye, she began to walk away. Instead of going in right away, I stood by the door and watched her. _I'm keeping my promises, _I thought with a smile, _Both of them._

That day went by quickly, and, before I knew it, Ushio and I were heading for the Theater club-room. Once there, we found everyone already waiting for us. We mainly talked for a little bit, and then began to discuss what we would be doing for the upcoming School Festival.

"Why not a one-act play?" Risha suggested, "Because we need a stage crew, and not all of us are really cut out for acting..." Everyone nodded, and I thought for a few moments. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. "How about you, Ushio?" I said, and she looked at me, confused. "You could put on a one-act play." She blushed, and shook her head. "N-No, I couldn't..."

I turned to everyone and said, "Let's take a vote. Who votes for Ushio?" I slowly raised my hand...And everyone else followed suit. I grinned at Ushio, setting a hand on her head. "Well, that's that." I told her, and she gave a nervous smile. "O-Okay..."

We didn't have much more time before everyone had to start leaving. Ushio, Risha, and I were the only ones left, and Ushio said, "Tokoi, do you want to go now?" I glanced at Risha, and said, "Uh, I have to do something...But I'll talk to you later." Ushio stared at me for a few moments, before smiling and nodding, and then walking away.

Turning to Risha, I said, "Alright, let's go."

* * *

Earlier that day, I had asked Risha for her help. "You remember that promise that I made with Ushio?" I told her. "Yeah." she said, and, seeing my expression, she raised an eyebrow, "You're buying it now?" I nodded, rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah...And I have no idea what to choose."

Risha sighed and shook her head. "And what makes you think that I'd know?" she said, and I opened my mouth to answer...But I closed it as I realized the answer might offend her. _Because you're a girl, _I thought to myself with a nervous grin.

So, we found ourselves going to a jewelry store in the shopping district of the town, which was, surprisingly, very small. As soon as we walked in, I completely felt out of place. Everything in that store looked way out of my budget range. "Hello." the old man at the counter said as we walked in, with a smile that looked like it was permanently etched on his face.

"H-Hi," I said, walking up to the counter, "I was...looking for a ring." The old man raised an eyebrow, and then glanced over at Risha, who blushed. "N-Not for me!" she said suddenly, and I almost couldn't hold back my laugh. The old man grinned, and reached underneath the counter, coming back up with a large black box.

"Seeing that nervous face of yours, I'm assuming you aren't going for anything too high in price." he said, and I nodded, rubbing the back of my head shyly. He laughed. "Don't worry son, I've seen it all before." he told me, opening the box. I was surprised by what was in it, and that the prices on the rings were actually something I could afford.

"Well, take a look, find what you'd like." the old man told me. I examined the rings for a moment, and asked Risha what she thought. She looked too, but the puzzled expression on her face told me that she had no idea what to look for either.

"Say..." the old man started to ask, "Do you both attend Hikarizaka High School?" Risha and I looked at each other for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah, why?" she asked. He grinned. "I used to be a teacher there," he told us, "At least, the old school." I raised an eyebrow. "The old school?" The old man nodded. "About fourteen years ago, Hikarizaka High School was torn down and relocated." he explained.

I looked at Risha, and her expression told me that she hadn't know that either. _Fourteen years ago?..._ I thought. "Hey...did you know anybody named Tomoya?...or Nagisa?" I asked. The old man's face lit up a little and he smiled. "Ahh, yes, I remember those two. I was Tomoya's homeroom teacher, Mr. Koumura." he told us. His face seemed to light up with memories from the past.

_He's pretty old, _I thought, _He probably retired not too long after they graduated. _I unconsciously continued to stare at him for a few moments, before Risha suddenly said, "Oh, how about this?" I looked at the ring she was holding between her fingers, and I raised an eyebrow. It was a golden two-wired ring with a small, pink gem at the top.

_Surely I can't afford that? _I thought, but, looking at the price, I found that I could. "That's...perfect." I thought, taking the ring and examining it. Mr. Koumura grinned. "That's a nice pick right there...Not too high in value, yet not considered cheap." he told us, taking the ring and revealing a small black box, which he set it in.

I blushed, and Risha laughed. It looked as though I was going to propose to someone. Mr. Koumura tilted his head slightly. "Hm? What is it?" he asked, and I shook my head. "N-Nothing." I said with a slight smile, taking out the money to pay for the ring. Then, waving goodbye to Mr. Koumura, Risha and I walked out of the store.

Taking out the ring, I put it up to the sunlight. "This is great." I said with a smile. _Too bad I'm almost completely broke now, _I thought. I noticed Risha staring at me as we walked, and I looked over at her. "What is it?" I asked, and she suddenly blushed and looked away. "I-It's nothing." she told me, and I raised an eyebrow.

We walked in silence for the rest of the way, and we eventually came to a road where we both split. She told me a simple goodbye after I thanked her for helping me out. After a few moments, I began to walk away as well. But I stopped when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her turn around suddenly. Her hair blew in the wind, and the sunlight made her eyes glimmer slightly.

And she shouted something to me...My eyes widened as I heard it, and I watched as she got a surprised look on her face, obviously surprised about what she had blurted out. Then, she turned and quickly began to walk away, eventually out of sight.

"W-What?" I said to myself. _Why would she..._

I looked down at the black box in my hand, and thought about what Risha had just told me...

"_Tokoi...Please don't be with anyone but me!"_

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Forever**

**Note: I figured adding in some love triangles here and there might make the story a little more interesting. And who better than Risha to put in there? :D Please leave a review and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	14. Forever

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hey hey hey everyone! Not much to say here, but...Yeah. This chapter is super-ultra sad. :**

**Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy! Like always!**

**Chapter Twelve – Forever**

I found myself being ignored by Risha after that. Even though I sat behind her for most of the day, she made sure that I wouldn't be able to talk to her. I figured she'd eventually get over it...Hopefully.

"What's wrong with Risha?" was the question I heard for the next few days in the club-room. I just sighed. _There's no way I'll tell them that, _I'd think, not giving any help on the matter.

"Tokoi, will you walk home with me?" Ushio asked that Friday after school. I still had the problem with Risha on my mind, and I told her, "Um...Sorry, I have to do something." I found myself under her gaze for a few moments, before she finally just nodded and walked away...

Only after Ushio had left did I realize that I haven't been talking to her. I sighed. _Sorry Ushio... _I thought. The black box had been sitting in my pocket every day, because I was waiting for the best moment to give it to her...But I probably missed a chance right in that moment.

I sat in the club-room for a while longer, just staring out the window at the fading sunlight. Then, I got up, and was about to leave...

...But the door suddenly opened, and I saw Risha standing there. She was obviously surprised to see me, and opened her mouth to say something...Only to turn her head and close the door. "W-Wait!" I said, running to the door and opening it. Looking down the hall, I saw her quickly walking away.

_Alright, I need to talk to her, _I thought, going after her. She rounded the corner, and I quickly followed her...But when I came around the corner, I lost track of her. Looking around, I couldn't see any signs of where she had gone.

"Risha?" I said, hoping for a response. Nothing. I sighed. _I guess I'm just going to be avoided forever... _I thought, turning around and starting to walk away.

"Tokoi..." a voice suddenly came. I stopped. The voice wasn't Risha's, but it sounded familiar to me. Turning around, my eyes widened as I saw who it was...

"N-Nagisa?" I exclaimed, seeing Ushio's mother standing at the end of the hallway. The image of her serene expression in the hospital came to my mind. _N-No way...She can't be here, _I thought. She began to walk towards me, and I took a step back, closing my eyes. _I must be seeing things...When I open my eyes, she'll be gone..._

...But I opened my eyes when I felt a hand on my cheek. Surely enough, Nagisa was standing there in front of me. "I've been watching over Ushio ever since she was born..." she told me. I raised an eyebrow. "B-But...you've been in the hospital the whole time..." I said, and Nagisa nodded.

"My body has been in the hospital...But I have been here, always watching through the eyes of another..." Nagisa told me. I was about to ask who it was, but footsteps came from behind, and I turned to see Risha standing there...and I realized... "Risha?" I said, "You've been watching from Risha?"

Nagisa nodded. _"Did you do something to that girl out there?" _Risha's voice echoed in my head as I remembered that time many months earlier. _"I heard nobody has been visiting her in a while...So I decided to come myself." _I remembered when I had found her sitting in the hospital room. _It wasn't just Risha's protective nature or stubbornness that guided her to protect Ushio... _I thought.

"Risha is her own person...But she's been kind enough to be there for Ushio when I really couldn't." she told me. I looked over at Risha, who blushed slightly and looked away. "But...why are you here now?" I asked.

"My time is here," she told me, and my eyes widened, "And I won't be able to look after Ushio any longer." I watched in awe as Nagisa suddenly seemed to glow slightly. "But I know you can be there for her...So I can sleep in peace..."

Nagisa took a few steps back, and a light appeared behind her, growing slowly, and enveloping her body. "W-Wait!" I said. "Tell Tomoya...that I won't be a burden on him anymore." Nagisa told me, giving a smile. Then, the light turned blinding, and I looked away...

...And when the light disappeared, Nagisa was no longer there. I stood there for a few moments, thinking about what had just happened. "Risha..." I said, turning, but Risha had gone.

* * *

Without hesitation, I quickly ran out of the school, heading towards the hospital. _She can't die now, _I thought, _Not after all that her family has done for her. _I continued running, but stopped at the Furukawa Bakery, where I found Ushio standing outside.

I stopped, panting, and she looked at me worriedly. "T-Tokoi? What is it?" she asked. I had to catch my breath for a few moments, before grabbing her hand and telling her, "I'll explain later...Come with me." She blushed slightly, but complied, and we quickly made our way to the hospital.

Once there, I looked around. Dr. Chaan was nowhere in sight. _Please..._I thought as we headed to the elevator and rode it to the fourth floor. _I don't want Ushio to have to go through this... _We quickly made our way down the halls, until we reached the door to Nagisa's room.

The door was open, and we both looked in...Tomoya was sitting beside the bed, grasping Nagisa's hand...And the honest, caring man I had saw before...was actually crying.

I glanced at Ushio, who's face was blank. She let go of my hand and walked over to her father's side, looking down at her mother's still peaceful expression. "I promised myself that I wouldn't cry when this day came..." Tomoya said, almost to himself...

Ushio was silent. No expression could be seen on her face. "Ushio..." I said, moving beside her, wanting to support her...But she didn't seem to be registering what was going on. "Ushio...?" I said, and she looked at me for a few moments...

Gazing at her, I realized what it was... "Ushio...It's alright to cry," I told her, grabbing her hand...And, after a moment, the tears finally came...and I embraced her as she cried...

"M-M-M-Mom." she said while sobbing, and I held her tighter, feeling a tear some to my eye as well...

"_But I know you can be there for her..."_

Hearing Ushio's wails and sobs...I told myself, _I will..._

_I will be there for her...Forever._

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Love**

**Note: I'm not all that good with writing death scenes, especially when it has to be super sad like this, but tell me what you think. This whole Risha-Nagisa connection was an idea since about the second chapter, so I decided to write it. Please leave a review with what you think!**


	15. Love

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hello hello! Big chapter here(Not in the literal sense), but it's big because it's...Well...You'll have to read! :D Actually, the title says it all. _ And this chapter is rather short, since, well, it's got some interesting stuff. :**

**Please Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Thirteen – Love**

The funeral for Nagisa was held two weeks later, and I was surprised by how many people came to it, including Mr. Koumura and Sagara, Yurino's dorm manager. _Everyone seems to know each other in this town... _I thought.

The funeral went on for what seemed like an eternity. Even so, I stood beside Ushio and gave her my shoulder to cry on when she needed it, and I held her hand to make sure that she didn't feel alone...

_Nagisa gave me her last words... _I thought, _So I'll make sure to fulfill them. _I put my hand in my pocket and grasped the black box slightly. _I know what to do... _

_

* * *

_

After the funeral was over, Ushio and I took a walk along the path lined with cherry blossoms on both sides. As I had hoped, her crying began to cease, and her warm smile came back onto her face.

We stopped at the top of the hill, where, as I found out, was where Tomoya and Nagisa's school had used to be, before it was torn down. _That must've been hard, _I thought, _Watching all those memories get taken away..._

Ushio and I sat at the top of the hill and just watched the sun as it slowly slide down to the horizon. I glanced over at Ushio,who's eyes were gleaming. She noticed that I was looking at her, and she blushed and turned her head away.

"Ushio..." I said, taking the black box out of my pocket, "I have something for you." She turned back and looked at me, and I could see the surprise in her face when I handed her the box. She opened it, and her face suddenly lit up. "T-Tokoi...?" she said.

"I wanted to keep my promise to you..." I told her, taking the ring out and grabbing her hand, gently sliding it down onto her finger. Ushio held her hand up and smiled as the gem glowed with the fading sunlight.

I stood and helped Ushio up. We stared at each other for a few moments, and our hands slowly entwined...

"Ushio...I-I always want to be here for you," I told her, "To protect you, and make sure that your beautiful smile never fades...Because..." I paused for a moment, the words seeming to be stuck in my throat...But I swallowed and finally found the courage to say:

"Because I love you." Ushio's face lit up in surprise, and a few tears started to form in her eyes. She smiled, and the tears started to roll down her face. "Tokoi...I-I...I love you too..." she told me, sobbing slightly, but giving me her warm smile...

Then we slowly leaned in towards each other...And kissed.

* * *

Ushio and I had taken a few days off after the funeral, and we were only just now returning to school. I found that Risha wasn't avoiding me anymore, but she still didn't say much to me. She also never said anything about what had happened that day after school. I guess we had a silent agreement to not say anything.

Before I knew it, class was over, and Ushio and I made our way to the Theater club-room. As always, we were the last ones to arrive, and we took our usual seats in the circle of chairs that we had made. Seeing the stares coming from everyone, I could see that they knew something had changed between me and Ushio.

"Um...Tokoi..." Yurino said, giving me a weird look, "What are you doing?" I tilted my head slightly. "What do you mean?" I asked. Yurino pointed at Ushio, whom was sitting beside me, and then pointed downward. I looked to the side at my hand, which was gently holding Ushio's. "What about it?"

Yurino sighed, and turned away. "Geez...Making a move without telling me..." he said, and, turning to the others, he said, "Well, that just leaves one of you..." Risha glared at him and gave him a solid punch right in the face, making him fall over. "Besides...you..." he said, and Risha kicked him in the stomach.

_So violent, _I thought, giving a nervous smile. "Ushio," Nyou said, "Did you ever get around to finding a play that you were interested in?" Ushio looked down and shuffled her feet slightly. "U-Um...no..." she admitted. "Don't worry about it," Nyou said, "The school festival isn't here just yet."

Ushio nodded, but I could tell that she was still bummed out. I sighed. "Don't let yourself get down so much." I told her, giving a smile. She returned it, and Irisa said, "Ohh, how cute!" Hearing that, Ushio and I both blushed and turned away. "Hehe..." Irisa said, as if it was her plan to make things awkward.

Everything seemed to be back to normal..And that's just how I wanted it to stay.

_No more pain, _I thought, _Everyone's had enough. _

Seeing everyone happy...That's all I wanted in that moment.

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter - Tears**

**Note: Finally, ey'? I took heed in the fact that relationships take time to build. And, woolah! A kiss! :D But don't get too used to this. :) Spoiler? Nah, not really. It's to be expected, since there's still 7 chapters left! :D **


	16. Tears

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Here's another chapter! I was hoping to time it just right for the holidays, but I am kind of late. XO Actually REALLY late now. Sorry for not updating for a while! But please Read, Review , and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fourteen – Tears**

The holidays came quickly after that, along with Winter Vacation. Like I had expected, Ushio did end up getting a cold, and couldn't go to the holiday party that the Theater Club was having. So, instead, we decided to bring the party to her.

"Hey hey hey!" Yurino said was he busted through the door, trying to make a spectacular entrance. "Oh, hey." I said simply. A look of disappointment came onto his face, and he sighed. "What? Did you want to be the life of the party?" I said with a grin.

Yurino looked around at the others, who didn't even seem to notice he was there. He cleared his throat, and announced, "HEY EVERYONE! I'M HE-" but he was cut off when Risha threw a Christmas ornament at his head, making him fall over.

"Idiot." Risha said, sitting back down and going back to what she was doing. Leaving Yurino to his concussion, I checked up on how the girls were doing. "How's it going?" I asked. I looked over at Ushio, who had ball-shaped ornaments shaped like the dango family, and I couldn't help myself from smiling.

"I didn't expect any different." I told her, and she smiled and blushed. I then looked over at Nyou, who, to my surprise, had tons of perfectly-shaped paper snowflakes around her. "Wow!" I exclaimed, "You're really good!" She blushed. "I-It's nothing." she commented.

Then I looked over at Risha, who was crouching down low so I couldn't see what she was doing. I slowly moved closer to take a peak, and could barely hold back a laugh. Her face turned red and she turned and got in my face. "W-What? I'm not an artist, you know!" she yelled.

_She's like a stubborn kid, _I thought, giving a fake smile and backing away. Risha sat back down and pouted. "H-Here," Nyou said, handing her some paper, "You can help me out." Risha sighed, then smiled and said, "Sure."

Then I noticed that Irisa was nowhere to be found. "Hey, where's Irisa?" I asked. The girls looked at each other. "Um...she said something about getting some last-minute presents." Nyou said. I raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. _Hopefully she'll be back in time, _I thought.

It only took about an hour for all of the decorations to be ready, and we told everyone to come inside. Sanae and Akio were the first to come in. "Wow! I knew my grandaughter was a great artist like me!" Akio said in a superior tone, making Ushio blush. "U-Um...thanks." she said.

Next to come was Dr. Chaan, who, as I expected, commented on Nyou's snowflakes that were hanging down from the ceiling all around. "Excellent work!" he said, giving her a smile. She smiled back and gave her father a hug. I grinned at the scene. _She's lucky to have a dad like that, _I thought.

Then came my grandmother and Mr. Koumura(which made me nervous seeing them come in together), followed by Sagara. "Oh my," my grandmother said as she walked in, "There's lots of people here." Mr. Koumura nodded, and said, "It's nice to see some familiar faces here."

Then came two people whom I had never seen before. A man with black hair that didn't suit him well, and a woman whom looked a little too much like Nyou. I looked at the others, and saw Risha's face redden. "Is that your parents?" I asked. She looked down at the ground and nodded slowly.

"Haha! Now that I'm here, it's a party!" the man said, and Yurino approached him. "Hey hey, I've been here for a while now, so it's already been a party!" The two of them locked eyes and leaned in close, glaring at each other.

Risha ran over to Yurino and kicked him in the side, sending him spinning towards the wall, hitting it with a thud and falling to the ground. She then sighed, and said, "H-Hi mom, dad." Risha's dad laughed, "Haha! That's my girl. You've got your dad's strength!"

Risha's mom shook her head, and punched her husband in the gut. "Yeah right." she commented. For a moment, my mind was bewildered by the similarities all around me. _Is there something I'm missing? _I wondered.

Then, to my surprise, Nyou approached Risha's mom and hugged her. "Oh hello Nyou," she said, "It's good to see my niece again." Nyou nodded, "You too, Aunt Kyou." I stood there, blank-faced for a moment. _Wait...so Risha and Nyou are...related? _I realized.

"What about your beloved Uncle?" Risha's dad said. Nyou turned around and crossed her arms. "Nope." she said simply. A look of disappointment came across his face. Kyou patted his back. "Don't worry, Youhei," she said in a mocking voice, "Maybe people will like you some day."

Then, to my surprise, Tomoya walked in through the door next. "Oh, Tomoya!" Youhei said with a grin, "Good to see you again!" Tomoya nodded, and said, "You too, Sunohara." Tomoya then turned his gaze to me, and gave a small wave and a smile. I returned them.

Tomoya walked over to Ushio, who gave her dad a big hug. He then bent over and told her something, which made her blush and look over at me. I raised an eyebrow. _What did he tell her? _I wondered as the door to the bakery swung open yet again.

I looked over to see Irisa stumbling in, with a bundle of small presents in hand. "Tadah!" she said, walking over to the pile of other presents and dumping them. "Who are all of those for?" I asked her. She grinned. "You'll see!"

I raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and started to make my way over to Ushio...But, for whatever reason, people would stop to talk to me. "Hey! You must be Tokoi. I heard a lot about you." Sunohara said, giving me a wink. I looked around and said, "Uh...yeah..."

Thankfully, I was saved by Kyou, who came over and dragged her husband away by his ear. "Youch!" he shouted. Then it was my grandmother and Mr. Koumura who came to me next, then Yurino, then Nyou, and...

By the time I was done with talking to everyone, I noticed that Ushio was gone. _Where did she go? _I wondered. I looked over towards the front door and saw that Tomoya was motioning for me to come over.

I walked over to him and he told me, "Ushio's outside," he told me, "I think you need to comfort her." I tilted my head in confusion. _Comfort?... _I thought. "What-" I started to ask, but Tomoya patted my shoulder and walked away.

When I opened the door, a blast of cold air came in, so I went back in and grabbed my jacket. Then I looked around for Ushio, and saw her standing out at the park across the street.

_She shouldn't be out here if she's sick! _I thought, running over to her. She only turned when I got near, and I was surprised to find that her eyes were red and tears were streaming down her face. "Ushio!" I exclaimed, embracing her.

Ushio sobbed and held onto me tightly. "Ushio, what happened?" I asked.

She took a few moments before telling me, "I'm...I'm going away..."

"Forever."

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Goodbye**


	17. Goodbye

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Sorry for the long wait! I'm trying to go and update all of my stories. Just stay tuned! x/**

**Also Note: This is a drama-filled chapter to hopefully stir up your emotions and make up for all this time I've spent lollygagging. Hopefully. XD**

**Please Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifteen – Goodbye**

"This town only brings death and sorrow."

"This place isn't where I want my daughter to spend her life."

"_I _know this for a fact...After what happened to Nagisa..."

"This is why we are leaving...Forever."

All I could do was stare at Tomoya as he finished speaking. We were sitting in the living-room part of the Furukawa Bakery, which was still littered with many decorations from the party that had gone on earlier that day.

Ushio had explained everything to me before...But I had to hear it from Tomoya to believe it.

"What the hell are you talking about?..." I muttered. Tomoya continued to stare at me intently, and then took a sip of his coffee. "You should understand the situation here...My only reason for letting Ushio stay here was to be close to her mother, and, well-" he began to trail off, and I cut in;

"Dead! She's _dead! _What does that have to do with Ushio? She's been happy all throughout this year, and there's rarely been a time when she _hasn't _smiled!" I shouted, my voice coming out louder than I had expected.

Tomoya remained calm as he asked me, "And for what reason should she stay here? Are you sure this isn't just for your sake?" That question took me by surprise, and it made me think...

_Is that true? _I thought, _Am I trying to benefit from having Ushio around? _Tomoya continued on to say, "Ushio can be much happier with me showing her the world that she will enter as a grown-up. She can make new friends, and I'll personally guarantee that her life can be spent without any sorrow."

Hearing that, I clenched my fists. _There's no way I'm being selfish...I...I love Ushio! And she... _"She loves me!" I shouted, and Tomoya was obviously surprised by my outburst. "I can't think of how she'd feel if I wasn't there to comfort her, to support her, _guide _her. You know, the things that a father is supposed to be responsible for in the first place!"

As I said that, Tomoya finally seemed to snap, and he slammed his hands down on the table and stood. "You don't know anything! I've had to sacrifice everything I have-" he began to yell, but I cut him off, and said, "You're the selfish one here...Trying to take Ushio away from her loved ones because _you _are the one who needs her!"

Tomoya went silent, and I was tempted to let a grin slip out on my face. _So that's it then, _I thought, satisfied that I had it all figured out...

But Tomoya suddenly began to laugh. _What...? _I thought. Tomoya stopped after a few moments, but kept a smirk on his face. "I guess you're right." he said, "But even if it's out of selfishness; Ushio is coming with me."

My eyes widened and my fists tightened in anger. I suddenly found myself standing up and jumping over the low table, grabbing Tomoya's collar and pushing him back against the wall. "You-!" I began to shout, but Tomoya gave me a swift punch into the gut, which made me lurch forward and fall over.

I felt a tear come to my eye, and I realized that I had actually never been hit with that much force before. Tomoya shook his hand and held onto his knuckles for a few moments, then straightened his tie and turned to walk away.

"Hey...wait!" I said, still catching my breath. Tomoya stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder. "Goodbye." he said simply, and he walked away. I slowly tried to stand, but the pain came back in a jolt, and I went back to my knees...

_No...why? _I thought, _Am I really this weak? Can I not stand my ground? _Tears began to come to my eyes, as the thought of Ushio leaving my life came to mind. "Ushio..." I said softly through a sob, and I sat there on my knees, feeling helpless...

* * *

My eyes opened to the feeling of something prodding me in the side. I quickly sat up, and realized that I must have fallen asleep on the living-room floor.

Above me was Akio, who, for the first time since I met him, had a stern expression on his face. "Yo, brat." he said. I rubbed my eyes, which were still a bit blurry, and slowly stood. "What is it?" I asked.

Akio raised an eyebrow at me. "Huh? I guess I was wrong about you after all." he said. I tilted my head in confusion. _What?_ I thought. Akio sighed, and rubbed his forehead. "I'd think you'd be running off to stop Ushio before they board the train and never come back...But I guess not." he said, shrugging and starting to walk away.

I quickly put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. "Wait, what? Are they leaving now?" I exclaimed. Akio grinned and nodded. "Yep, heading for the nine o'clock train. You'll have to run pretty quick to-" he told me, but I quickly slipped into my shoes and ran out of the room before I could hear the rest.

I was out of the bakery in a second, and realized quickly that I had forgotten my jacket. _I'll get it later, _I thought to myself, quickly running down the street.

Then it occurred to me that I had no real idea as to where the train station might be. However, a faint recollection came back to me. I suddenly remembered signs indicating the train station over near the jewelry shop where Mr. Koumura worked.

_Crap! _I thought, _There's no way I'll make it! It's almost nine... _I looked around, wondering if there was a source of transportation for me to get a ride on...

And, as if an angel had heard my prayers, I could see headlights coming down the street towards me. I quickly stepped out into the street and waved my arms into the air. The vehicle came to a stop, and I recognized it as a silver scooter...

And none-other than Nyou was riding it. "N-Nyou?" I exclaimed, surprised to see her. She looked equally surprised, and had her usual blush going on, which usually happened when she talked to me...

I shook my head. "Nyou! I need to borrow your scooter!" I said. She was obviously surprised by me asking that. "Um..." she said. I clasped my hands together and said, "Please!" I could tell Nyou was even more surprised by my begging.

"I-I guess it's okay..." she said, taking off her helmet and getting off. I smiled and instinctively ran up and hugged her. "Thank you!" I exclaimed, and she seemed to be frozen in place, probably embarrassed by the sudden hug.

I hopped onto the scooter, and examined it for a few moments, trying to recall what I had seen on TV before. "Alright..." I muttered to myself. _Let's do this! _I thought, as I suddenly sped off faster than I had planned on. "Um, wait-!" Nyou said, holding out the helmet after me, but I was already long gone.

* * *

Going as fast as I could on the scooter, I was able to arrive at the train station in a matter of minutes. Once there, I could see the shapes of Tomoya and Ushio ascending the stairs to the main part of the station...

But suddenly, as my focus went onto them, I hit a patch of ice, and went skidding forward. I leaped off the scooter, and watched as it hit a wall, then fell over with a _thud! _I winced as I watched it happen, knowing there would be some damage. _Sorry Nyou... _I thought, as I stood and quickly ran towards the stairs.

Once I arrived at the foot of the staircase, I shouted, "USHIO!" ...For a few moments, I didn't see her, but then, suddenly, her figure appeared at the top. She smiled and quickly began to run down the stairs. I ran up towards her, and, once we met up in the middle, we both came into a warm embrace...

"Tokoi...I'm...I'm sorry, I-" Ushio said, starting to sob. I ran my hand gently along the back of her head, and nodded. "I know..." I said to her softly. I wanted that moment to last forever, with Ushio in my arms, and no outside distractions...

"Ushio!" Tomoya's voice came from behind. Ushio moved beside me, and I glared up at Tomoya, who was eying me suspiciously. "Come on, the train is pulling it." he continued. Ushio looked down at the ground, and took a step forward...But I gently grabbed her hand.

She turned and looked at me, surprised. I felt the cool metal of the ring that I had given her, and it helped give me the courage to shout up at Tomoya, "No!"

Tomoya's gaze turned into a glare, and he started to descend towards us...But Ushio suddenly cried, "Stop!" He stopped, and we both looked at Ushio in surprise. Tears were starting to run down her face. "I...I don't want to leave..." she said, sniffing.

"Ushio..." Tomoya said softly. Ushio wiped the tears from her face, then gave her father a serious look and said, "I'm staying!" Her hand gripped mine tighter, and Tomoya's face expression made it look like he had just gotten a slap to the face...

"She wants to stay..." I told him calmly, "Can't you respect that?" Tomoya looked at both of us in shock. "But...but..." he started to say. His eyes then adverted down to the ground, and I could tell that he was deep in thought...

Suddenly, flashes of images came into my mind. Images of Nagisa and Tomoya...Happy moments from when they were together. Playing baseball...Practicing theater...Visiting the beach...

Ushio's birth. My eyes widened as I watched the scenario as if it were happening right in front of me. "It's Ushio, Nagisa..." Tomoya said, "She's here...And now we're a family..." Nagisa didn't seem like she was listening, and Tomoya began to sob.

"Nagisa..." he said. "Nagisa, can you hear me?" There was no response, and I realized to my horror that Nagisa had gone pale, and appeared to be lifeless. "NAGISA!" Tomoya shouted at the top of his lunges...

_What...was that? _I wondered, looking over at Ushio. _Nagisa didn't die after having Ushio...So what is this memory? _As I was pondering this, Tomoya suddenly sniffed, and I looked up and was surprised to find him crying.

He wiped his tears onto his sleeve, and then looked up at us...And smiled. "I guess I...I forgot how it feels," he said, sobbing slightly, "Being in love...Thinking...no, _knowing _that we'd always be together..."

"I'm sorry." he said, and the biggest surprise of the night came as Tomoya bowed his head towards us. The respectful, courageous man whom I had seen before had now given way to a hurt and forgotten soul. I wasn't quite sure what to say...

But I knew what the right thing to say was. "It's okay..." Tomoya stood back up and nodded towards us. "Ushio...I'm sorry for not being here for you," he said, "I guess taking you away from here wouldn't make up for that..."

Tomoya turned his head and looked up at the train that was waiting at the station. "So I guess...this is goodbye," he said, "For now, at least." Tomoya walked up to the top of the stairs, and Ushio began to run forward. "Dad!" she shouted, but Tomoya ignored her and continued walking...

After Tomoya disappeared from sight, I saw something odd floating up through the air...It was a small orb. An orb of light...

_Where have I seen that before? _I wondered. Ushio turned and looked at me. "What is it?" she asked. I opened my mouth to explain...But stopped myself. _I'm not sure, _I thought...

Ushio walked over to me and grabbed my hand, resting her head on my chest. I could tell she was beat after all of the happenings of today, like I was. I put an arm around her, and looked up at the dark sky...

And I watched the orb of light float up and up and up...until it disappeared from sight.

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter - Revelations**

**Note: Nyou's random scooter appearances, just like her aunt Kyou! xD Please give feedback, becuase this probably the most drama-filled chapter I've EVER written!**


	18. Revelations

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hello hello! The story has five chapters left and counting! As it nears the end, I want to(again) thank all the fans, and want to tell you guys that the BEST HAS YET TO COME! :D**

**Also: There will be a lot of skipping forward, due to a lot of time needing to pass for the following events to occur! **

**Please Read, REVIEW, and please, do Enjoy! :)**

**Chapter Sixteen – Revelations**

After Tomoya left, I figured that things would go back to normal...And for a while, they did.

The remainder of our Winter Break passed by in a flash, and we returned to school. The School Festival began to grow close, and the whole school became busy with the clubs and classrooms all getting ready for the happening.

Ushio had grown ill during that week, but still insisted to go up on stage. I didn't let her, so we had a change of part, and Risha and Yurino went up and did a comical skit(Which mostly involved Yurino getting pummeled around).

After the festival, there was only a few weeks left until the end of the year. We decided to have our own sort of 'graduation' party of our own, to reflect on what had happened in the past year, and celebrate that we made it...

But, as Akio made sure to remind us, our year as Seniors will be our hardest. But nobody really listened to him, seeing as though we were all in a cheery mood, but I secretly hoped that it wouldn't be true...

And so, the end of the year came, and we officially became Seniors.

* * *

As I stepped up to the school, a gust of wind swooshed by, and I took a deep breath...

Here I was, once again. At a new school, that wasn't really that new to me anymore, in a town about a hundred miles away where my grandmother lived. Looking up at the school, I could see the brand-new look beginning to fade. _It just looked that way in the beginning, _I thought to myself...

And, walking into the building, I passed by that door which I remembered to be the counselor's office. After that were more plain-looking doors that probably led to places such as the Principle's Office, which, luckily for me, I had never had to go to.

Then, I ascended the stairs up towards the second floor, where the Senior classes were going to be held. I had received my classroom in the mail, which was odd, since most schools would post them in front of the school...But I guess they just didn't want the rush.

_3B, _I thought, scanning the hallway, until I found it, almost directly in the middle of it. Once at the door, I hesitated. _I'm here a bit early, _I thought, _And I don't even know who's going to be in my class... _I had forgotten to ask anyone else where they were going to be...

So I put my hand on the door, and slowly slid it open...

The room appeared to be soulless, until I stepped in and looked towards the back...

And there she was. Her amber-eyes glowing from the sunlight that was pouring in through the windows.

_Ushio...The girl that I love._

_

* * *

_

Knowing that I could always be with Ushio for this last year was all that mattered to me. Even though, to my surprise, Risha, Yurino, and Nyou were in the same class as well, being with Ushio was what I had secretly wanted...

And so, the year began. But it still passed by quickly.

Summer came, and summer went. We had spent our time on a trip that Dr. Chaan had arranged for Nyou and all of us to go on, to a private residence with its own beach area and spas and...Well, you can imagine lots of neat things there. I'm still unsure as to how Dr. Chaan came across such money, but that thought fades while you're actually there...

Then, we returned to classes for a few months, until the clouds began to form overhead, and the temperature dropped, signaling that Winter Break was here.

I spent the whole time with Ushio while she was sick, as usual. She got better near the end of the break, which made me relieved, but something happened at that time that made me anxious of the outcome...

Something I'm _sure _Akio would kill me for.

* * *

We were sitting inside of Ushio's room, watching the snowflakes fall softly down from the dark sky. There was a sort of silence, but it was a calming one. I was holding Ushio's hand, and we seemed to speak through our touch...

Then, my stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence. My face flushed, and I rubbed the back of my head. "Uh...I guess I'm kinda hungry." I said. Ushio smiled, then told me, "W-Well...grandma and grandpa are out right now, and I don't know what we have..."

My face instantly turned redder, and Ushio gave me a confused look. _No, stop it! _I told myself, _Don't think about being in an empty house, alone with Ushio... _After a few moments, Ushio seemed to have realized what I was thinking, and looked around, blushing.

"I-I-I...Um..." she tried to say, but didn't really know what would make the thought go away. I grinned as I watched Ushio wildly look around, trying to get the thought out of her head...

Then I squeezed her hand, and she stopped and looked at me. _Maybe I'll do something I regret, _I thought to myself, _But... _I leaned in closer to Ushio, and kissed her...But it wasn't like one of our usual kisses. This was long and drawn-out, passionate to say the least...

And something overcame me. I eased Ushio down onto her back, and continued the kiss. One voice seemed to cry in my head, _W-Wait, stop! _While the other told me, _Don't worry about it...This is your decision!_...

Maybe I should've stopped at that moment...But I couldn't.

Love always triumphs over common sense, I guess.

* * *

Surely enough, two weeks later, I got an 'urgent' call from Akio that I need to come down to the bakery, _immediately. _I gulped, and put on my jacket and scarf. _Well, this'll be interesting, _I thought, as I left my grandmother's house and made my way down to the bakery...

Once I stepped inside, Akio was waiting there behind the counter, and instantly gave me a look of disgust, which had me taken aback. "Tokoi..." he said through clenched teeth, "Maybe... you could go back there and see what Ushio has to show you."

I could tell he was restraining the urge to attack me, so I hastily moved towards the back, and past the living room. Sanae was standing outside of the bathroom in the hallway, and she motioned for me to come over, a look on her face that wasn't anger, but more of surprise...

And once there, I looked in on Ushio, who seemed to be hanging her head, and was looking down at the sink. "Ush-" I began to say, but Sanae raised a hand to stop me, and pointed towards the sink...

I moved closer and leaned in to look...I gulped as I saw three small, white sticks...

_Positive, Positive, Positive..._

Ushio looked up at me, and I saw for the first time that she was crying. She quickly hugged me, and I put my arms around her, my breathing becoming heavy with a realization that I thought I was ready to handle...

"You're going to be a father, Tokoi." Sanae said from behind. I felt Ushio hold onto my tighter, and I took a deep breath...

"It'll be okay." I whispered into Ushio's ear as she began to sob...

_But will it really? _I suddenly thought, thinking of Nagisa, and Tomoya's grief...

_I don't want that to happen to you...If something is going to happen, it should happen to _me.

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Graduation**


	19. Graduation

Clannad

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Ushio pregnant? NO WAI! For those of you who may think getting pregnant during High School is bad, just know that this is happening right before the end of school...So...Yeah. :L**

**Please Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Seventeen – Graduation**

And just like that, we found ourselves at Graduation time, singing the school's anthem, and hearing cheers come from all around us as we stepped up to the stage and received our certificate that told us that we had made it through our school years, and are ready to move on in the world...

But even if I wasn't ready, I would have to try my hardest. After all, being a parent so early on isn't going to be the easiest thing for me.

We never told Risha, Yurino, or Nyou until after graduation. The reactions from them all varied. Risha blushed wildly and just turned her head, while Yurino began asking lots of awkward questions, and Nyou smiled and said shyly, "Co-Congratulations!"

After graduation, I moved in with Ushio and her grandparents, so that I could be there for her. I regrettably hadn't worked before, so I had no money to buy a place of my own. However, Sanae was happy to give me a job with helping out around the bakery(Mostly with cleaning).

Akio still continued to be unhappy with me for a while, but Sanae was still cheerful, and made sure to wish us luck every chance she could.

One day, before Ushio and I headed out for a walk, Sanae stopped me and asked to talk in private. We headed into the other room, and she took a ring out of her pocket and held it out towards me.

"W-What is that for?" I asked. She smiled at me, and said, "It was Nagisa's ring...Tomoya said he couldn't bear holding it, so he gave it to me...And I think Ushio would like it." I hesitantly grabbed the ring, and nodded. "I...I understand."

* * *

And with that, I was able to speak those words that would ultimately bind us together.

"Ushio..." I said later that day as we sat on the park bench, side by side, our hands entwined. She looked at me in surprise as I moved and kneeled in front of her...

"Will you marry me?" The look of shock grew, and Ushio gasped as I pulled out the ring. "T-T-That's my..." she trailed off, and I nodded. "It was your mother's... But now you can wear it, and let it be known that her kindness and beauty will live on in you..." I said...

Tears came to Ushio's eyes, and she gently wiped them away, then nodded and gave me one of her warm smiles. "Yes!" she said, and I felt a tear come to my eye as well as I held onto her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger...

And with that, I knew my life had truly begun.

* * *

A month passed after that, and we had a visit with Dr. Chaan to see if he could determine the sex of our child. Luckily for us, he could.

"It's a boy." he said simply, and Ushio and I smiled, and I leaned in close to her, our cheeks touching. "I'm sure he'll be a handsome kid, just like his father." Dr. Chaan said, giving me friendly wink and walking off.

But then, afterward, we found the hardest obstacle in our path: Choosing a name.

"I have no idea..." I admitted to Ushio. "M-Me neither..." she said, "I only had girl names in mind..." I sighed. _I thought naming our kid after Nagisa might be nice, but now... _I thought.

"You don't have to rush that," Sanae told us, "Let the name come to you in time. Just like how Nagisa and Tomoya saw the beauty of the waves at the beach, and were able to come up with your name, Ushio." Akio nodded, and said, "That's right! But, you know, maybe naming him after his great grandfather wouldn't be so bad..." Sanae nudged Akio hard, and he sighed. "Or not..."

So Ushio and I stopped discussing it for the time being, and focused on the life ahead of us. Working for the bakery wasn't providing all the money we needed, but my grandmother was able to loan some money to me.

"B-But..." I tried to say, but she shook her head and smiled at me. "Don't worry about it. An elderly lady like myself isn't in need of much now-a-days...I just want to see my great-grandson raised in his own home." I smiled and hugged her, saying, "Thank you..."

After I let go, her face turned serious, and she said, "Um...Tokoi, there's something I should tell you about your father..." I clenched my fist, and I was suddenly reminded of why I hate him. "He recently contacted me, and said he wanted you to know that he's found a job and even has a new girlfriend."

I raised an eyebrow, and didn't know how to respond. My grandmother smiled. "I'm glad that he has finally moved on...He said he regrets hurting you, and wishes you and Ushio a happy life together." she told me...

And, for a reason that I couldn't understand at that moment, I began to cry. _What am I doing? Don't I hate him? _I told myself...But I suddenly remembered Dr. Chaan and Tomoya's pain...The pain of raising a child alone...

"I know you can't really forgive him, but he only means the best for you..." my grandmother said, setting her hand on my cheek. "I know..." I told her, wiping the tears from my eyes, "I guess I should've accepted it before, and I'm sure mom would be happy too..."

_Mom, _I thought. The image of her hadn't come into my head for many, many years. I was still too young when she died to remember her, but the picture my father had kept had stayed in my mind...

The resemblance was extraordinary. My dad would tell me that I got all of my good looks from her, and I only just realized that it must have hurt him to even set his gaze upon me...

_Knowing this pain...I hope I never have to experience it._

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – Tragedy**

**Note: This chapter is short, but that's only because this next chapter is going to BLOW...YOU...AWAY...And might even make you cry a little. **


	20. Tragedy

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Hello! Here's the big game-changer of the whole Fanfic, and I really, REALLY hope I can squeeze some emotions out of you!**

**IMPORTANT NOTE: When you see the /POV/ tag, it means that the story is now being told from an omniscient view, instead of from Tokoi's first person view. **

**Please Read, REVIEW, Enjoy, and maybe shed a tear or two!  
**

**Chapter Eighteen – Tragedy**

It was a normal day, like any other.

But, unknown to me...It could only end in Tragedy.

"T-Tokoi, wait up!" Ushio said. I turned and grinned at her. "Come on, you should walk faster!" I told her. Ushio squinted at me. "You're so mean Tokoi..." she said, then we both laughed and entwined our hands, and continued to walk down the street.

"I'm glad we were able to find a place." I said. Ushio nodded. We found a nice apartment that was rather cheap, and could accommodate for all three of us.

"I'm looking forward to decorating his room." Ushio said, rubbing her stomach, which was starting to grow rather large. I smiled at her, and asked, "What color should the room be?" Ushio looked up in thought for a few moments, then said, "Green."

I raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking blue..." I said. Ushio shook her head. "Blue is too...I-I don't know, but I like green!" She said. I chuckled, and leaned over, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Green it is then."

After a few minutes, we came to the apartment. I took out my key, and then realized something. "Oh man, I forgot to lock the bakery up!" I said, realizing I had failed to do the one thing Sanae and Akio had trusted me with while they were away.

I unlocked the door and opened it for Ushio. "I'll be back in not too long." I told her, and I gave her a quick kiss. I then ran off back down the street, towards the bakery...

But, as I ran, something came into my head... _A memory? No... This is..._

It was Ushio and Tomoya sitting in the shade beneath a large tree...

"Aikou! Don't run that far off!" she shouted. The response was only laughter, and she sighed and Tomoya stood up. "Hey! Don't make me come after you!" he said, and a child's voice said, "Oh yeah? Bet you can't catch me grandpa!"

Tomoya ran down the hill, and there were squeals of delight, and Ushio giggled and watched on happily...But then, her expression changed to a sad one, and she looked upwards at the leaves above her...

"Tokoi...If only you were here to see this." she said...

And as the image faded, I stopped. _What?... _I thought, a shiver crawling up my spine...

_SCREEECH! _a noise came from the side, and I turned my head and watched a blinding light come towards me...

Then everything went black.

* * *

"_Tokoi..._" a faint voice called through the darkness.

I opened my eyes slightly, and could see many blurs of shapes above me. "_He's waking up! Tokoi...Everything's going to be-_"... Then there was only darkness once again.

_What's happening? _I thought. A wave of cold overcame me, and I found that I couldn't move my body. _Am I...dying? _I wondered. More faint voices began to speak to me, but I couldn't comprehend what they were saying...

But then, suddenly, there was one that I could hear loud and clear.

"Tokoi?" a voice came. I blinked, and the darkness gave way to sunshine up above. I quickly sat up and looked around, wondering where I was...

And when I turned, I saw the familiar figure of my mother. Still in her youth as she had been in the picture I saw...

"M-Mom?" I said, standing. She smiled and nodded. "I didn't think I'd see you here so early..." she said. I looked around, and then asked her, "Where...is this?"

My mother frowned, and spoke the words that nobody ever wants to hear:

"You're dying."

My eyes widened, and my breathing grew heavy. "No..." I said, setting my hand over my chest. There was barely a heartbeat.

My mother nodded, and her eyes saddened. "I'm afraid so..." she told me. I shook my head, and felt tears beginning to come into my eyes. "No! I can't...What about Ushio?" I shouted. My mother stood and began to walk towards me.

"She can continue to live on...Your son will be the spitting image of you, and that will help her recover from her grief." she told me. I stepped back, and shook my head. "I can't let that happen...Ushio..." I said, staring down at the ground, tears beginning to run down my cheeks...

"USHIO!"

* * *

**/POV/**

In the waiting room of the hospital, there was a lingering air of sorrow and grief...

Risha was crying, and, for the first time in his life, Yurino was attempting to comfort her seriously. Nyou sat in silence, unsure if what was happening was real or not...

And Ushio could only stare at the doors to the Emergency Room. No tears, no thoughts...And still stricken by grief.

But that silence was only broken when Ushio suddenly heard a call...

"_USHIO!" _the familiar voice of Tokoi came. She looked around, unsure of where it had come from. Nobody else had seemed to notice it. "Tokoi..." she said softly. Risha, Yurino, and Nyou looked up at her...

And watched as all of the tears and sorrow spilled out. "Tokoi...Tokoi..." she continued to say his name, sobbing and covering her face with her hands.

Memories flooded her mind...

When they had first met.

When they visited her mother in the hospital.

When he established the Theater Club for her and helped her make friends.

When he had stayed by her side when she was ill.

When he came for her before she left forever.

When he kept his promise to her and gave her a ring.

When he comforted her after her mother passed on.

When he moved in to always be by her side.

When he found a home for them to live in.

When he gave her a reason to live...

"TOKOI!" she screamed at the top of her lunges. And, outside of the hospital, hundreds of glowing orbs rose from the ground and floated around, filling the dark sky with light, each one filled with a moment of Happiness that Ushio had been able to have...

But if she lost all of that happiness now...Where would she go? She would be lost in the world...

She would be...a Lost Girl.

**To be continued...**

**Next Chapter – The Lost Girl**


	21. The Lost Girl

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Not much to say here anymore...But please do enjoy this chapter and the final chapter! :)**

**Note Note: Actually, there is something to put. For those of you who don't know Japanese(Like me), Aikou translates into 'Love'. (Just a heads up xD)**

**ALSO: Sorry if the way this chapter looks is kinda weird...The Fanfiction New Documents thing is terrible, and always does what I DON'T want it to. -_-**

**Please Read, REVIEW, and Enjoy!**

**Chapter Nineteen – The Lost Girl**

_Where am I?_

_What...what happened?_

_Am I still..._

"Aikou!" came a familiar voice. I quickly sat up, and looked around. "Ushio..." I said, standing and looking towards the doorway just in time to see it open...

But it was a little boy whom came in. He was probably six or seven, and something about him looked...Familiar...

Then it hit me. That short, jet-black hair...Those glowing, amber-colored eyes...A smile that warmed my heart...

This was my son.

"Aikou..." I said softly as he closed the door and backed up, snickering. I reached out to touch his shoulder...But found myself going straight through him. It was as if...I was a ghost.

However, he must have felt something, because he quickly spun around, and looked straight at me, confused. He squinted his eyes, and was obviously trying to figure out what he had felt...

And then, the door swung open, and Aikou turned around. "There you are!" came Ushio's voice, and I stood up and...There she was.

She still looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was a bit longer than before, and was tied back into a ponytail. She was wearing an apron, and looked as though she was pretty angry.

"Come on Aikou! You're going to school, and that's that!" Ushio said. I was surprised to hear her talk like that, and found that the shy girl I had once knew was no more...

But I guess I could understand. If I really am dead...There probably wasn't any other choice for her.

"But-" Aikou began to say, but Ushio interrupted, "No 'buts'!" Aikou sighed and slowly walked up to Ushio, hanging his head in defeat. "You need to hurry up now, or you'll be late"! Ushio told him, and he muttered something, then ran past her down the hallway.

Ushio sighed, and I walked up to her. "Ushio?" I said. She obviously different hear me, but she turned and looked around the room, and, for the first time, a look of sadness came onto her face.

"Tokoi..." she said, "This was supposed to be our room." I raised an eyebrow, and wondered if she could see me...But Ushio let out a small laugh, and said to herself, "Look at me...Still talking as if you're right here..."

_But I am right here! _I thought irritatedly. I reached out for her, but she turned and left. _I'm...I'm right in front of you! I... _Then, suddenly, I blacked out, and stumbled over. _What the hell? _I thought, my vision returning, but my legs feeling weak and wobbly.

_What's going- _I began to think, before slipping into the darkness once again...

* * *

"_Are you going there today, Ushio?"_

"_Yes...everyone else is coming today too."_

"_Everyone? I thought most of your friends moved away?"_

"_They all really wanted to come...After all, it's the sixth anniversary since that day."_

"_That is true...Well, tell that brat I said hi for me, alright?"_

"_Okay, I will!"_

The conversation echoed through the darkness, and I recognized the voices to be Ushio and Akio. _Sixth anniversary...It can't be..._

And then, suddenly, a bright light erupted through the darkness, making me flinch. I held my hands out in front of me, and then, after my eyes adjusted, I saw a scene in front of me that took the breath right out of me...

Ushio...Yurino...Risha...Nyou...Dr. Chaan...My grandmother(whom had Mr. Koumura in front of her in a wheelchair)...Kyou...Sunohara...a woman with long, silver hair whom I didn't recognize...And many, many others...They were all crowded around something.

Stepping through the crowd, I saw three gravestones. And, seeing what was written on them brought tears to my eyes.

There was one for my father...One for my mother...And in the middle was mine.

* * *

**R.I.P - Byuka Konoda**

**1986-2023**

**A kind and graceful man**

**

* * *

**

**R.I.P – Nanami Konoda**

**1987-2008**

**A beloved mother whom was lost before her time**

**

* * *

**

And then, in the middle, the one I had dreaded to see...

**

* * *

**

**R.I.P - Tokoi Konoda**

**2006-2022**

**A loving and caring father, who put others' hearts before his own**

**

* * *

**

Everything was deadly silent. _My dad passed away just a year later...? _I thought, mixed emotions spreading through me...

Only then did someone suddenly clear their throat and say, "Well, who would like to say something first?" I turned and saw that it was Yurino who had spoken...But his voice was unrecognizable, as it was a little deeper and much rougher, which matched his looks.

Beside him was Risha, who was looking down at the ground, clutching his hand tightly. Nyou was beside her, obviously fighting back tears from the sight in front of her. Then...there was Ushio, who stepped forward.

She looked down at my gravestone for a few moments, then turned towards everyone and opened her mouth, as if about to say something...

But, instead, she merely broke down.

Falling to her knees, she brought her hands to her face and wept. Nyou quickly ran over to her side, and tried to comfort her...But it didn't work.

I clenched my fists tightly. _No...Ushio...This isn't what I wanted..._

_I didn't want you to feel any pain..._

_I wanted to be by your side..._

_I gave you a promise..._

"USHIO!" I yelled, and she looked up, and turned her head towards me.

"I'm here, Ushio! You don't need to shed anymore of your tears for me. I love you. That's all you need to know! My heart was in two...And you made me complete! Please Ushio...This isn't how you are. You're passionate and caring...And I want you to raise our son to be that way as well!"

There was no doubt about it to me now. Ushio could see and hear me now.

I walked up to her, and Ushio stood. She reached out to me, and I grabbed her hand. "Tokoi..." she said softly.

I moved in close to her, our faces touching, and I whispered into her ear:

"Thank you, Ushio."

And something warm began to grow my heart...But it continued to grow warm, and eventually became burning hot. I stepped back and clutched my chest, wincing. "Tokoi?" she exclaimed worriedly...

And we both watched in awe as a small, glowing orb emerged from my chest. "What..." I trailed off, and Ushio held out her hands, and the orb gently settled down onto them...

Then she smiled warmly at me, and said: "Tokoi, this-"...But she stopped, seemingly frozen in place...

And everything began to give way to a flurry of white. "Ushio!" I said, reaching out towards her, but passed straight through her. She was the only thing left in the middle of the whiteness, but she too slowly disappeared...

And then, a soft, gentle voice suddenly began to sing:

"_Dango...dango...dango...dango...dango daikazoku.."_

"Ushio?" I said, and, in the blink of an eye, I found myself looking up at a white ceiling, with Ushio leaning over me, her eyes closed..

I was in the hospital.

She opened her eyes, and looked down at me. She smiled, and said, "Hello, Tokoi."

I quickly sat up, looking around wildly. I brought up a hand to my head, which was throbbing intensely, and wondered if everything I saw before was real...

Then I set a hand gently onto Ushio's cheek, and couldn't help but grin.

_Even if it wasn't...This is definitely real, _I thought, and she brought me forward into an embrace, and began to sob.

"Tokoi...I thought you were gone..." she said. I held her tightly, and told her:

"I'm not going anywhere...I gave you a promise, didn't I?"

She nodded, and we moved back, staring at each other for a few moments.

"I love you, Ushio."

"I-I love you too, Tokoi..."

**To be concluded...**

**Last Chapter – Smile(The End)**


	22. Smile::The End

**Clannad**

**The Lost Girl**

**Note: Welcome to the ending to this story! :) Thank you all for reading this far, and for leaving helpful reviews to keep me motivated! **

**This is my longest story to finish by far, and it's all thanks to you guys! Please do read my other stories, and stay tuned for The Lost Girl: After-Story that'll be coming up.**

**Also: This is really short, but that's because, well it's the ending. :L Not much to go on now.**

**And so, for the last time, Read, Review, and Enjoy! :)**

**Chapter Twenty – Smile(The End)**

It was a bright and relatively warm day in Spring.

A young boy happily ran through the grass without a care in the world, while his mother and father watched on.

"Aikou! Don't run that far off!" the mother shouted. The response from the boy was only laughter, and she sighed. The father stood and said, "Hey! Don't make me come after you!" The child merely responded with, "Oh yeah? Bet you can't catch me dad!"

The father ran down the hill, and the child let out squeals of delight. The mother giggled, and watched on happily.

_Tokoi... _she thought, looking up at the sun peaking in through the branches overhead, _I'm glad you're here with me._

"Hey Ushio! I need some help her!" Tokoi shouted. Ushio looked back down at Tokoi, whom was still chasing Aikou. "O-Okay!" she said, standing and running down the hill.

"Mom! You should be on my side!"

"O-Okay!"

"No way! Your mom's with me!"

"But that's not fair!"

"Haha, sure it is! You're way faster than us!"

"You're letting me get away though!"

"No I'm not!...Okay, maybe I am, but..."

The voices trailed off as they went farther off...And the lone figure standing in the shadows of a tree not far off smiled.

_I guess I'm done here, _she thought, and she turned and walked away, knowing that she's guided the Lost Girl to peace...

* * *

**_The End_**

**

* * *

**

**You: Huh? Mysterious girl?  
**

**Me: It'll all be explained in the After-Story, just be patient! It's just a little side-story I'm working on, involving a character from Clannad that people have been asking about. Sorry if you think it ruined the ending or something. :L**

**You: -_- -stores up Rage and focuses it into one hand-**

**Me: H-Hey now...**

**You: PAWNCHHH!**

**Me: Looks like I'm blasting off again! -SHING-**

**Totally not a rip-off of Pokemon.**

**ANYWAYS: Thank you again everyone, and please do leave more helpful reviews, and read the upcoming After-Story!**


End file.
